US raid in Syria kills top ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi
WASHINGTON — Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi has been killed in a U.S. military raid in Syria, President Joe Biden announced on Thursday.
U.S. special forces landed in helicopters and assaulted a house in a rebel-held corner of northwest Syria, clashing for two hours with gunmen, witnesses said. The commandos were aided by helicopter gunships, armed Reaper drones and attack jets.
As troops approached the building to capture him, al-Qurayshi detonated a bomb that killed himself and several other people, including his wife and children, Biden said in remarks from the White House.
“Thanks to the bravery of our troops, this horrible terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said.
One of al-Qurayshi’s lieutenants barricaded himself and his family on the second floor of the building during the raid, said senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. He and his wife opened fire on the special forces and were killed in the battle, the officials said. Several children on the second floor were safely removed.
The operation “sent a strong message to terrorists around the world. We will come after you and find you,” Biden said.
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Raid planned months ago
The raid took place overnight in northwest Syria, the same region where the previous leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed by U.S. special forces in 2019.
First responders reported that 13 people had been killed, including six children and four women. But senior administration officials said those numbers don’t line up with their assessment of casualties.
The force of the bomb detonated by al-Qurayshi was so great that it blew bodies outside the house and into the surrounding area, officials said.
Biden said all U.S. special forces who’d been involved in the operation had been successfully returned. There were no U.S. casualties, officials said.
The raid had been planned for months, senior administration officials said. Biden was briefed on the operation over a month ago after officials confirmed that al-Qurayshi was living on the third floor of the house.
Biden gave final approval for the raid Tuesday morning during an Oval Office meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Other civilians living in the building apparently were not aware of who was living on the third floor, senior administration officials said. Before the raid, U.S. forces announced what was happening and asked others in the building to leave, the officials said. A woman, man and several children were safely removed.
US helicopter destroyed
A helicopter involved in the raid experienced a mechanical issue, was able to land in another area and was destroyed by U.S. forces, the officials said.
Near the end of the raid, another helicopter came under fire from local forces, officials said. U.S. troops returned fire, killing at least two of the attackers.
Matthew Brown and Michael Collins cover the White House. Follow Brown on Twitter @mrbrownsir and Collins @mcollinsNEWS.