A U.S. airstrike has killed an Islamic State leader in eastern Syia, the U.S. Central Command said Sunday.
A CENTCOM statement said the airstrike that killed Usamah al-Muhajir was conducted Friday.
“We have made it clear that we remain committed to the defeat of ISIS throughout the region,” said Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, using an acronym for the terrorist group. “ISIS remains a threat, not only to the region but well beyond.”
The statement added that operations against IS, “alongside partner forces in Iraq and Syria, will continue to achieve the group’s enduring defeat.”
CENTCOM also said Sunday there were no indications any civilians had been killed in Friday’s airstrike. Coalition forces were, however, assessing reports of an injured civilian.
Friday's strike on IS "was conducted by the same MQ-9s (drones) that had... been harassed by Russian aircraft in an encounter that had lasted almost two hours,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Russia is a key ally of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
At its peak in 2014, Islamic State controlled one-third of Iraq and Syria. The militant group was beaten back in both countries, but its militants continue to wage attacks.
Some information for this article came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
