ISIS LEADER DEAD AFTER U.S.SPECIAL FORCES RAID, WHITE HOUSE REPORTS

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By Miriam Raftery

Photo via @WhiteHouse on Twitter: 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.

February 3, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – President Joe Biden announced this morning that the leader of ISIS is dead. The terrorist leader detonated a suicide bomb as troops closed in at his home in Syria, killing his own family members rather than be captured, President Joe Biden and White House officials announced.

There were no U.S. casualties, according to the Pentagon. The raid also reportedly killed an ISIS lieutenant, who barricaded himself in a room and engaged in a firefight with U.S. soldiers.

“Last night at my direction, U.S. military forces successfully undertook a counterterrorism operation. Thanks to the bravery of our Armed Forces, we have removed from the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of ISIS,” Biden announced on Twitter.

Biden told reporters this morning that the U.S. military chose a raid with special forces over an air strike because al-Qurayshi was with his family, a choice the Pentagon hoped would reduce the chances of civilian casualties.

“Knowing that this terrorist had chosen to surround himself with families, including children, we made a choice to pursue a special forces raid at a much greater risk to our own people, rather than targeting him with an air strike,” Biden stated. Officials said that the raid also took out an ISIS lieutenant, who barricaded himself on the second floor of the building and engaged in a firefight with U.S. forces, the Hill reports.

Al Qurayshi took control of ISIS after a 2019 U.S. counterterrorism strike killed the former ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The President thanks troops for their bravery in carrying out an “incredibly challenging mission”, and noted that ISIS has continued targeting Americans, U.S. allies and civilians in the Middle East, African and South Asia.

He ended with a warning to other terrorists.  “We remain vigilant, we remain prepared,” he said. “Last night’s operation took a major terrorist leader off the battlefield and it sent a strong message to terrorists around the world — we will come after you and find you.”



 


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