WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says it has killed a leader of the Islamic State group in Syria in a drone strike.
U.S. Central Command says Maher al-Agal was killed Tuesday and an unidentified senior official in the Islamic State group was seriously injured.
"The removal of these ISIS leaders will disrupt the terrorist organization's ability to further plot and carry out global attacks," said Col. Joe Buccino, CENTCOM spokesperson.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says al-Agal was a former prominent commander of the Islamic State group during its control of Raqqa.
The U.S. carried out the strike outside Jindaris, a town in northwest Syria close to the Turkish border.
The Pentagon says there were no civilian casualties, though it wasn’t possible to immediately confirm that.
"This airstrike represents the culmination of determined and meticulous intelligence work and stands as testament to the bravery and skill of our armed forces," President Joe Biden said in a statement.