Islamic state: US military kills rankhohes IS member in Syria

According to its own statements, the US military has killed a rank-high leader of the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS). In addition to Dhija Sauba Musli al-Hardani, his two sons were also killed in the Aleppo area, who also belonged to IS, the US Central Command said. They would have presented a threat to US troops and allies as well as for the new Syrian government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Around 2,000 US soldiers are stationed in Syria, which are primarily the goal of combating IS. Again and again the US military flew air strikes there in the past few years or kills the IS members when operating on the ground.

IS once dominated large areas in Syria and in neighboring Iraq. Although it is considered to be military, an estimated 2,500 IS fighters are still active in both countries. They are primarily in sparse and use the uncertain and sometimes chaotic location in Syria since the fall of rulers Bashar al-Assad.

There were contradictory reports about the extent to which the US military coordinated with the new government in Damascus. The city of Al-Bab in the Aleppo area, where the operation took place.

IS pursues an extremist ideology and rejects the new government in Damascus – also because of its approach to Turkey and the West. According to IS, the promise of al-Sharaas to build democratic structures means a departure from the principle of Islamic legislation (Sharia) and a waste from faith.