WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2022) The US raid in northwest Syria was aimed at capturing Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the leader of the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia), not killing him, CENTCOM commander Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said on Thursday.
"US special forces under the operational command of the US Central Command conducted a long range helicopter raid in the northwest Syria near Idlib to capture the leader of ISIS, and I say capture the leader of ISIS. That was the intent of the mission," McKenzie said.
The US operation conducted on Wednesday to eliminate Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in Syria's Idlib killed 13 people, including six children, according to a spokesman for the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army. The Pentagon said the terrorist caused an explosion, killing himself and his family members.
UN spokesman Farhan Haq told a press briefing on Thursday that the United Nations is concerned about reported civilian casualties resulting from the US operation in Syria and believes it is important to conduct an investigation.
