Last Friday, in the eastern part of Syria, a fierce drone strike ended the reign of a top ISIS leader. The US Central Command let this news out on Sunday.
https://twitter.com/alpha_defense/status/1678092652024299520?s=20
The drones involved in this action were the same three US MQ-9 Reapers. These brave drones had a tense encounter with Russian aircraft just a week ago. Their mission this time was to stop Usamah al-Muhajir, a key player in the terrorist group, according to the Central Command.
Gen. Michael Kurilla, a leader from Central Command, reassured everyone that the US is still laser-focused on defeating ISIS in the region. “We’re dedicated to bringing down ISIS throughout the region, no matter what,” he confidently said.
BREAKING: U.S. drone strike kills an ISIS leader in eastern Syria, Usamah al-Muhajir: Centcom
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) July 9, 2023
Concerning any harm to innocent people, the agency mentioned, “No signs show that civilians lost their lives in this strike. We’re looking into reports of a civilian getting hurt.”
The Central Command kept a few secrets to themselves, though. They didn’t share exactly where Al-Muhajir met his end in Syria or any extra details about the mission.
Al-Muhajir’s fall comes after a surge in US strikes against ISIS big shots and their helpers. When ISIS was defeated in Syria in 2019, many of these figures ran off across the Middle East. Some were caught or stopped in their tracks by these attacks.
Despite being significantly weakened since its peak in 2014, when it had control over a third of Iraq and Syria, ISIS is still a major danger in the region. The US Central Command promises to hunt down and neutralize any remaining leaders, many of whom are suspected of planning attacks worldwide.
This successful strike was a shining moment in a tense face-off between US drones and Russian fighter jets over Syria, which happened not once, but twice the previous week.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich detailed last Thursday’s showdown. At about 9:30 a.m. local time, Russian aircraft dropped a series of flares, flew dangerously close, and put all the aircraft at risk.
This scary moment happened about a day after Russian jets launched parachute flares, forcing the drones to dodge and weave. In one nerve-wracking moment, a Russian jet crossed dangerously close to one of the drones, firing its afterburner. According to Grynkewich, this move made it hard for the drone operator to keep the drone safe and steady.
