President Biden, Vice President Harris and members of the President’s national security team observe the counterterrorism operation responsible for removing from the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of ISIS.
Courtesy: The White House
WASHINGTON – U.S. forces killed the leader of terrorist group ISIS, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, during a counterterrorism operation in Syria, the White House said Thursday.
President Joe Biden is slated to address the nation on the details of the raid at 9:30 a.m. ET from the White House.
All U.S. service members involved in the mission returned safely from the operation.
A U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement, confirmed to NBC News that the ISIS leader was on the third floor of a building in northern Syria when U.S. Special Operators arrived. Al-Qurayshi detonated a bomb that killed himself and several members of his family, a senior administration official told NBC News.
During the operation, a U.S. military helicopter experienced a maintenance issue and was deemed unsafe to fly. The servicemembers on the ground detonated the aircraft on-site.
People inspect a destroyed house following an operation by the U.S. military in the Syrian village of Atmeh, in Idlib province, Syria, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022.
Ghaith Alsayed | AP
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