Global Courant
US forces killed ISIS leader Usamah al-Muhajir on Friday in an airstrike in eastern Syria, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Sunday.
Al-Muhajir was killed by the same MQ-9 reaper drones that had been harassed by Russian aircraft in the region. The two incidents occurred on the same day, the US says, with the drones carrying out the attack after interacting with Russian craft.
“We have made it clear that we remain committed to the defeat of ISIS across the region,” said CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla. “ISIS remains a threat not only to the region but far beyond.”
CENTCOM clarified that there was no indication that civilians had been killed in the attack, but that the US and allies were reviewing reports of civilian casualties.
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US Bradley combat vehicles patrol Syria, where the US carried out an airstrike on a top-level ISIS member on Friday. (Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images)
The US and allied forces in the region have waged a consistent campaign against the remaining ISIS leaders operating in Syria. The US killed the organization’s head, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a raid in 2019. Since then, ISIS forces have been operating as cells.
The MQ-9 drones used in the attack had previous interactions with Russian SU-35 fighter jets in the past week. The Russian craft repeatedly flew into the drones’ path, forcing them to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision.
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“Russian military aircraft engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behavior at 9:30 a.m. local time Thursday while interacting with U.S. MQ-9 drones conducting our D-ISIS mission in Syria,” said Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, Commander, 9th AF and CFACC for CENTCOM. “Russian aircraft dropped flares in front of the drones and flew dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved.”
A Russian SU-35 flies over Syria near a US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone on Wednesday, July 5, 2023. (US Air Force via AP)
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“This is the second instance of dangerous behavior by Russian pilots in the past 24 hours, and the first occurred on Wednesday at about 10:40 a.m. local time,” he added.
The US military has also urged Russian forces in Syria to “cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of conduct expected of a professional air force so that we can resume our focus on the lasting defeat of ISIS,” it said. he.
Parachute flares released by a Russian SU-35 are visible near an MQ-9 Reaper drone on Wednesday, July 5, 2023 over Syria, according to the US Air Force. (US Air Force via AP)
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The US has about 900 troops in Syria. They mainly cooperate with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in their fight against Islamic State militants.
Lawrence Richard of Fox News contributed to this report.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter at Fox News Digital covering national politics and major news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
