US says airstrike in Syria kills senior leader of al-Qaeda affiliate
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The US Central Command (CENTCOM) says the strike took place on Saturday in northwestern Syria, targeting and eliminating "a senior finance and logistics official in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din."
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American soldiers patrol near a prison that was attacked by ISIS militants in al-Hasakah, Syria, Tuesday, February 8, 2022. (AP)
The US military announced on Sunday that it had carried out a precision airstrike in Syria, killing a member of an al-Qaeda-affiliated group.
In a statement on X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strike took place on Saturday in northwestern Syria, targeting and eliminating "a senior finance and logistics official in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an al-Qaeda affiliate."
CENTCOM did not disclose the identity of the individual targeted.
CENTCOM Forces Kill Senior Operative of Al-Qaeda affiliate Hurras al-Din
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 16, 2025
On Fed. 15, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria targeting and killing a senior finance and logistics official in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din… pic.twitter.com/MTsJ5TbIe1
The statement indicated that the operation aimed to "disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel" from the United States and its allies.
On January 30, CENTCOM carried out another airstrike, killing senior Hurras al-Din operative Muhammad Salah al-Zabir.
According to the US-based SITE Intelligence Group, Hurras al-Din was established in February 2018. The group did not publicly confirm its allegiance to al-Qaeda until announcing its dissolution last month.
The United States designated Hurras al-Din as a "terrorist" organization in 2019 and has offered financial rewards for information on several of its members.
"We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and US, allied, and partner personnel in the region," CENTCOM General Michael Erik Kurilla stated.
US says strike killed two IS terrorists in northeastern Somalia
In a similar context, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said US forces carried out Sunday an airstrike against Islamic State (IS) militants in northeastern Somalia, the second such attack this month.
Two IS terrorists were killed in the strike, which was conducted in coordination with the Somali government, AFRICOM stated, adding that no civilians were injured as a result of the attack.
In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, @USAfricaCommand conducted an airstrike against ISIS-Somalia in Northeast Somalia on Feb. 16. The initial assessment is that the strike killed two ISIS terrorists and no civilians were harmed.https://t.co/euaERDuc14
— U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) (@USAfricaCommand) February 17, 2025
Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region, situated in the country's northeast, announced in December plans for a new offensive against a growing Islamic State insurgency. The US-designated terrorist group more than doubled in size last year, with up to 1,200 fighters entrenched in the Bari Mountains, east of Puntland’s commercial hub, Bosaso.
"Degrading ISIS and other terrorist organizations' ability to plot and conduct attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, our partners, and civilians remains central to U.S. Africa Command's mission," AFRICOM stated.
In a February 1 operation, AFRICOM reported the killing of at least 14 Islamic State operatives, including Ahmed Maeleninine, a key financier of the terrorist group.
US Congressman drops bombshell: USAID funded terrorism
But during a recent House hearing, US Congressman Scott Perry leveled serious accusations against the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), stating the agency had inadvertently funded terrorist organizations, including ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Boko Haram. His statements reignited debates over USAID’s operations and financial oversight.
Perry, a Republican representing Pennsylvania, voiced his concerns at the inaugural meeting of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), a body established by President Donald Trump and chaired by billionaire Elon Musk. Amid the controversy, USAID has reportedly halted its global operations.
In a viral one-minute video, Perry declared, "Your money, $697 million annually, plus shipments of cash, funds ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, and terrorist training camps."
He also condemned USAID's allocation of $136 million for constructing 120 schools in Pakistan, asserting that there is "zero evidence" the schools were ever built.
The recent development comes after a broader campaign by Musk, who is spearheading Trump's government cost-cutting initiative, aimed at reducing federal spending and eliminating programs deemed unnecessary. During a discussion on X, alongside former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Republican Senators Joni Ernst and Mike Lee, Musk emphasized that dismantling USAID was a priority under Trump's agenda.
The controversy has intensified debates over US foreign aid and funding terrorism, with Perry's remarks sparking fresh questions about accountability.
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