CENTCOM kills al-Qaeda leader linked to ISIS attack against U.S. personnel in Syria

A helicopter lands at the site of an attack that targeted a convoy consisting of the U.S.led Global Coalition and forces of the Syrian transitional government in Palmyra, central Syria.
A helicopter lands at the site of an attack that targeted a convoy consisting of the U.S.led Global Coalition and forces of the Syrian transitional government in Palmyra, central Syria.

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced late Saturday that it had killed an al-Qaeda leader linked to an Islamic State (ISIS) ambush that targeted Americans in Syria last month.

In a statement, CENTCOM said Bilal al-Jassem had direct ties to an ISIS militant responsible for killing and wounding U.S. and Syrian personnel on Dec. 13 in the city of Palmyra.

“Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.”

CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the killing “demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” noting that the individual was connected to the deaths of three Americans.

On Dec. 13, two U.S. soldiers and an American civilian were killed, and three other U.S. service members were wounded, in an ambush carried out by a member of the security forces of the Syrian transitional government who had ties with ISIS.

By Abdulsalam Khoja