Senior ISIS leader captured in a region controlled by Turkey-backed groups

Photo: The house that Al-Quraishi was killed in İdlib in February 2022

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The US-led coalition against ISIS announced that it has captured a senior ISIS leader in Syria in an operation yesterday (Jun 16).

"The detained individual was assessed to be an experienced bomb maker and facilitator who became one of the group's top leaders in Syria," said the coalition but did not specify the region the operation took place.

It was also announced that no civilians were injured during the operation and that the planes were not damaged.

Meanwhile Youssef Hamoud, the spokesperson for the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF)-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) told Reuters that the operation took place in the SNA-controlled village of Al-Humaira just at the south of Turkey's border.

"U.S.-made Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters were involved in the operation but the exact circumstances are unclear," he said.

"This is the first (U.S.) helicopter landing operation to happen in areas under the SNA's control."

Al-Quraishi was killed in the same region

The US special forces conducted an operation with several helicopters in Syria's Idlib province controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in February and killed ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim Al-Hashemi Al-Quraishi.

Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Quraishi was leading ISIS since the death of its founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was also killed by the US in 2019. (AEK/TB)