Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook, Tuesday 22nd November 2016 confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a precision airstrikes near Sarmada in northwest Syria on November 18 killing Abu Ayyub al-Masri, a senior al-Qaida leader in Syria.
Cook told reporters that Al-Masri who was an Egyptian had joined Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan but later moved to its Syrian where he joined its affiliate — al-Nusra and now called Jabhat Fatah al-Sham — or Front for the Conquest of Syria.
Al-Masri had ties with terrorists groups operating throughout Southwest Asia especially those groups responsible for attacking U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan,
Al-Masri’s removal from the battlefield is another blow to Al-Qaeda in Syria.
According to Cook the successful drone strike demonstrates continued U.S. determination to target Al-Qaeda key leaders wherever they pose a threat to the U.S., allies and interests.
The U.S. Ministry of Defense on Tuesday confirmed that a senior al Qaeda leader was killed in a U.S. air strike near Sarmada, Syria, last week.
Reference: http://www.defense.gov/
