On June 19th, the US military announced that they had conducted an airstrike in Syria on Sunday, targeting and killing a senior leader of the extremist group Islamic State (ISIS).
The announcement was made by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on social media, stating that on June 16th, a US airstrike in Syria resulted in the death of ISIS senior leader and coordinator Usamah Jamal Muhammad Ibrahim al-Janabi.
The death of al-Janabi is seen as a significant blow to ISIS, impacting their resources for terrorist attacks and their ability to carry out such attacks. CENTCOM affirmed their commitment to continue military operations in collaboration with allies and partners in the region to weaken ISIS’s operational capabilities and ensure their lasting defeat.
There were no indications of any civilians being harmed in the airstrike, as confirmed by CENTCOM.
According to reports from CNN, the US military is actively targeting ISIS leaders in Africa and the Middle East. Three weeks ago, a US Africa Command airstrike in a remote area of Somalia resulted in the deaths of three ISIS militants.
From January to March 2024, CENTCOM and its partners in Syria eliminated 7 ISIS operatives and detained 27 individuals. During the same period, the US military in Iraq eliminated 11 ISIS operatives and detained 36 individuals.
CENTCOM Commander Erik Kurilla emphasized in April the ongoing commitment to defeat ISIS, as they pose a threat not only regionally but globally. The focus remains on targeting ISIS members attempting external operations outside Iraq and Syria, as well as those trying to facilitate the escape of detained ISIS members to reorganize their forces.