“Thanks to the bravery of our troops, this horrible terrorist leader is no more”, Biden says
The leader of Islamic State and one of the world’s most wanted died when he blew himself and family members up during a two-hour U.S. military raid in the town of Atmeh in Syria, President Joe Biden said on Thursday. This was the biggest US raid in the country since the 2019 operation that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi had led Islamic State since the death in 2019 of its founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Qureshi detonated a suicide bomb, killing himself, before the U.S. forces could reach him.
President Joe Biden announced the overnight raid by American special operations forces, which U.S. officials called a “significant blow” to the radical militant organization.
“Last night at my direction, U.S. military forces in the northwest Syria successfully undertook a counterterrorism operation to protect the American people and our Allies, and make the world a safer place” Biden said, adding that all American troops have returned safely from the operation.
“Thanks to the bravery of our troops, this horrible terrorist leader is no more,” the U.S. President said from the Roosevelt Room. “Knowing that terrorist had chosen to surround himself with families, including children, we made a choice to pursue a Special Forces raid at a much a greater risk to our own people rather than targeting him with an airstrike.” Despite the death of al-Qurayshi, U.S. officials say that the ISIS remains a threat.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the death of Qurayshi “delivers a catastrophic blow to ISIS” and underscores the US commitment to eradicating terrorist threats.
Months of planning
The raid by U.S. Special Operations forces was conducted after months of military planning, including dozens of rehearsals and an exercise involving a tabletop model of the building, after a tip that the top terrorist was hiding in northwest Syria. The helicopter-borne assault was carried out by about two dozen American commandos, backed by helicopter gunships, armed Reaper drones and attack jets. “This operation is testament to America’s reach and capability to take out terrorist threats no matter where they try to hide anywhere in the world,” Biden said.
The ISIS group at the height of its power controlled more than 40,000 square miles stretching from Syria to Iraq and ruled over 8 million people. Its attacks in the region included a major assault last month to seize a prison in northeast Syria holding at least 3,000 IS detainees, according to AP.
Civilian casualties
The explosion in which Qurayshi died also resulted in multiple civilian casualties. At least 13 people were killed, including six children and four women, The Syrian civil defense group the White Helmets. UNICEF confirmed that at least six children were killed overnight in the border town of Atmeh in the northwest of Syria during heavy violence.
Pentagon press secretary John F. Kirby said that despite some civilian deaths in the compound that resulted when al-Qurayshi detonated an explosive device, “the calculated efforts of our forces succeeded in protecting more than 10 women, children and babies.”
U.S. Special Operations forces took extraordinary measures to avoid civilian harm. Kirby said that the president decided against using an air strike in order to prevent the deaths of innocent civilians. There were no U.S. casualties but one helicopter that had a mechanical issue had to be destroyed.
Key developments:
- Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi died. He had led ISIS since the death of its founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019.
- The explosion led to up to 13 fatalities, among them women and children.
- Biden said Qurayshi blew himself up the third floor, killing himself and his family.
- US officials said the raid was planned for months and lasted two hours.
