ISIS Leader Taken Down in US Air Strike

ISIS fighters in Iraq. Source: Wilson Center

A United States helicopter raid succeeded in eliminating senior ISIS leader Abd-al-Hadi Mahmud al-Haji Ali in northeast Syria.

Ali had been accused of orchestrating terrorist activity in the Middle East and Europe. The attack was set in motion after US intelligence notified US Central Command (CENTCOM) of ISIS’ plan to kidnap foreign officials.

CENTCOM spokesperson Colonel Joe Buccino issued a statement after the attack, stating that  “this raid deals a significant blow to ISIS operations in the region but does not eliminate ISIS’s capability to conduct operations.”

About a week ago, US forces captured an ISIS operative and two of his associates in eastern Syria. Hudayfah al Yemeni, labeled as “ISIS attack facilitator,” was one of the dozens of operatives apprehended by CENTCOM. 

CENTCOM reported that 37 US operations occurred during April and they managed to detain at least 18 ISIS operatives. 

CENTCOM chief General Michael Kurilla  commented on the event, stating, “ISIS continues to represent a threat to the region and beyond.” He continued, warning that,“Though degraded, the group remains able to conduct operations within the region with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East.”

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is interviewed by media Al-Furqan Outlet on April 29, 2019. Source: AP News

The US military has been active in Syria since 2011. At the time, the US demanded that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad resign due to his use of brutal force against opposing parties. As the situation accelerated, the Obama administration froze funds to Syria and recalled the US ambassador.

As sanctions were imposed on Al-Assad and the state of Syria deteriorated, terrorist groups such as ISIS emerged, forcing the US to send its military to defeat the Islamic militants and train the local citizens to help them to achieve their goal. 

ISIS has been present in Syria and its neighbor, Iraq, for the past decade. It emanated from Al-Qaeda in 2011 and fully established itself as a terrorist organization in 2013 with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi leading the group. Baghdadi was a renowned terrorist with a 25 million dollar bounty on his life by the US government. 

ISIS’ objective was to construct an Islamic caliphate under strict sharia law. Its use of violence against civilians, and the genocide of Kurds and Shia Muslims forced around 5.5 million Syrians to flee and find asylum in different nations.

Prior to being dismantled, the group expanded to other countries where they continued to initiate terrorist attacks. ISIS managed to recruit 30,000 militant fighters from 85 countries by 2015.

While ISIS initially controlled a third of Syrian land in 2013, it lost control of 95% of its territory by 2017. 

In 2019, the US military reached a major milestone. During a raid in Syria, al-Baghdadi triggered a suicide bomb and was confirmed dead by United States Special Operations Forces under the Trump administration.

Al-Baghdadi had avoided capture for nearly a decade due to his high security measures, which made it difficult for the US intelligence to obtain knowledge about his whereabouts. Since al-Baghdadi’s demise, US forces have worked diligently to deprive ISIS of any remaining power.