The brand new chief of the ISIS terror group blew himself up Thursday, wiping out his whole household as US particular forces swooped in — a loss of life President Biden known as “a last act of determined cowardice.”
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby informed reporters that Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi killed his spouse and two kids when he touched off the explosive on the third flooring of a constructing within the Syrian village of Atmeh, close to the border with Turkey. The explosion, which US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Gen. Kenneth McKenzie mentioned was triggered by one thing “extra highly effective than a normal suicide belt,” leveled a lot of the partitions and ceiling, sending rubble and our bodies into the road beneath.
In remarks from the White Home, Biden described Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi as “a significant terrorist risk to the world” and “the worldwide chief of ISIS.”
“With no regard to the lives of his circle of relatives or others within the constructing, he selected to blow himself up … reasonably than face justice for the crimes he has dedicated, taking a number of members of his household with him,” the president mentioned.
“Final night time’s operation took a significant terrorist chief off the battlefield, and it despatched a robust message to terrorists around the globe: We are going to come after you and discover you,” Biden added.
The Related Press, citing first responders, reported that 13 folks had died, together with six kids and 4 ladies. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on social media that there have been 13 deaths. Nonetheless, the group mentioned solely 4 of them had been kids and three had been ladies.
US officers repeatedly emphasised that they'd tried to seize al-Qurayshi in a troop raid reasonably than goal him with an airstrike in an effort to keep away from civilian casualties. Kirby famous US forces had been capable of take away 10 folks — together with eight kids — from the primary and second flooring of the compound amid the chaos.
Kirby added that one among al-Qurayshi’s lieutenants and his spouse had been killed in a gun battle with US troops. The press secretary went on to say that it appeared that a little one on the second flooring additionally died, although the circumstances weren't clear. Officers had been conducting an evaluation to find out whether or not American motion resulted in any civilian deaths.
Earlier than the raid crew departed the scene, one other firefight erupted with an area extremist group. A minimum of two fighters had been killed earlier than the remaining extremists fled, in line with Kirby.
It was not instantly clear whether or not all of these reported killed had been members of al-Qurayshi’s household and interior circle. Discrepancies within the variety of reported casualties weren't instantly reconciled.
Al-Qurayshi has acted because the chief of ISIS since October 2019. He succeeded Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who equally detonated a sucide bomb as American forces approached his lair.
The raid, which lasted roughly two hours, was the most important within the province because the operation that focused al-Baghdadi. Witnesses reported about 50 US troops landed in helicopters and used loudspeakers to induce ladies and kids to go away the world. Following the raid, locals reported seeing physique components across the constructing.
An area resident informed the AP that witnessing the assault was “terrifying.”
“Nobody knew what was occurring,” mentioned Jamil el-Deddo, who lives in a close-by refugee camp. “We had been nervous it might be Syrian plane, which introduced again reminiscences of barrel bombs that was dropped on us.”
The US has carried out a number of air raids within the area in recent times concentrating on terrorist organizations or Iran-backed militia teams.
Final October, the US navy introduced that a drone strike had killed high al Qaeda chief Abdul Hamid al-Matar.
Biden mentioned al-Qurayshi was answerable for the latest assault on a jail in northeast Syria holding 3,000 ISIS fighters and was “the driving drive behind the genocide of the Yazidi folks in northwestern Iraq in 2014.”
“All of us bear in mind the gut-wrenching tales: mass slaughters that worn out whole villages, hundreds of ladies and younger ladies offered into slavery, rape used as a weapon of struggle,” he mentioned. “Due to the bravery of our troops, this horrible terrorist chief isn't any extra.”
With Publish wires
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