Syria
Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the leader of Islamic State and one of the world’s most wanted men, has been killed during an overnight raid by US special forces in north-west Syria.
The pre-dawn attack on a house in the village of Atme, just south of the Turkish border, led to up to 13 casualties, among them women and children. It also resulted in the destruction of a US Apache helicopter, which had been used to carry special forces troops from Erbil in Iraq.
US officials believe Qurayshi directed last month’s spectacular assault on a prison holding IS inmates in the east of Syria.
Thursday’s raid was the most significant by the US since Qurayshi’s predecessor Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in October 2019 in a village 9 miles (14.5km) south of Atme.
US forces took remains from the scene for forensic examination and – unlike the Baghdadi raid, which Donald Trump, then president, was quick to announce – there was no immediate reaction from the Biden White House. By mid morning, the US president had confirmed the operation.
“Last night at my direction, US military forces in the north-west [of] Syria successfully undertook a counterterrorism operation to protect the American people and our allies, and make the world a safer place,” Biden said in a statement.
“Thanks to the skill and bravery of our armed forces, we have taken off the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi – the leader of Isis. All Americans have returned safely from the operation.”
A senior US administration official said Qurayshi detonated a bomb at the beginning of the operation that killed him and members of his family, including women and children.
