A US retaliatory strike in northwest Syria on Friday killed an Al-Qaeda-linked leader connected to the Islamic State member behind a December ambush that left two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter dead, officials said.
The US Central Command identified the deceased as Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, describing him as an “experienced terrorist leader” who directly coordinated the 13 December attack that killed Sgt Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt William Nathaniel Howard, and interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.
“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”
The strike was the third in a series of operations under “Hawkeye Strike,” a broader US-led campaign launched after the ambush to target Islamic State infrastructure and leaders attempting to regroup following the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
CENTCOM said, US forces, alongside partners such as Jordan and Syria, have targeted more than 100 ISIS sites, including weapons caches and infrastructure.
President Donald Trump emphasised that Syrian authorities were cooperating with American forces and that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed” by the December attack.
The operation underscores the US military’s continued commitment to hunting terrorists in Syria and its regional partners while responding to threats against American personnel.
