Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Jan 18: US military forces on January 16 eliminated a senior Al Qaeda affiliate leader in Syria who had direct links to a recent Islamic State attack that killed and injured American personnel, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday.

The militant, identified as Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, was linked to an ISIS gunman involved in the December 13 attack in Palmyra, Syria, in which US and Syrian personnel were killed and wounded.

Confirming the operation, CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper said the killing underscored Washington’s determination to pursue terror groups targeting American forces. “The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” he said in a statement.

Following the December attack, US forces have intensified operations in Syria, carrying out strikes on more than 100 ISIS targets, according to the US military.

Reacting to the development, US Secretary of the Department of War Pete Hegseth said in a post on X, “We will never forget, and never relent,” sharing CENTCOM’s statement on the operation.