The US Central Command has announced that Khalid Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri, who was allegedly responsible for planning attacks in Europe on behalf of the jihadist group Islamic State (IS), has been killed in Syria. He died in an undisclosed location during a strike on Monday. The organization has suffered setbacks in recent years, including the loss of its final territory in 2019. However, it is believed to still have around 5,000 to 7,000 members, around half of whom are fighters, in Iraq and Syria, and is capable of carrying out attacks in the region and beyond. The UN has warned that the threat posed by the group and its affiliates remains high.
The strike that killed al-Jabouri did not appear to cause any civilian casualties, according to the US military. Meanwhile, a man was killed in a drone strike in Idlib province, north-western Syria, on Monday. The White Helmets organization, which provides emergency services in the area, said an unidentified drone fired a missile at the man on the outskirts of the town of Kili. He was taken to hospital but later died. Pro-opposition outlets have identified the man as Khalid Abdullah al-Khulaif, who was believed to be a senior jihadist from Deir al-Zour province.
The US-led coalition against IS has targeted senior members of the group and its affiliates in a series of recent strikes in northern Syria. The strikes have also focused on Hurras al-Din, which is believed to be al-Qaeda’s Syria branch. Despite the loss of its territory, IS is believed to continue to carry out hit-and-run attacks, ambushes, and roadside bombings in rural areas of Iraq and Syria.
Source: BBC
