US CENTCOM says it killed ISIS leader in Syria airstrike, no civilian casualties
FOX NewsJul 04, 2023
CENTCOM: US Kills IS Leader in Syrian Drone Strike
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Image copyright:Â Airman 1st Class William Rosado [via US Air Force]
The Facts
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Sunday that Islamic State (IS) leader Usamah al-Muhajir was killed on Friday in a drone strike carried out by the American military, adding that there is no indication any civilians were killed.
He was hit while reportedly riding a motorcycle near Aleppo in northwestern Syria, an area where the US has conducted other strikes against alleged terrorist leaders.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Though Moscow professedly supports US operations against IS, which is still a major threat to regional security, its actions indicate the contrary, as Russian warplanes almost disrupted the mission that neutralized al-Muhajir. By overflying US positions in Syria in violation of mutually agreed-upon deconfliction protocols, Russia is risking inhibiting further operations to ensure the lasting defeat of IS.
Establishment-critical narrative
While this military operation may have been successful in neutralizing an IS leader, it does not justify repeated violations of flight safety rules committed by US-led international coalition drones. Russian aircraft have been deployed strictly to ensure the integrity of Syria's airspace, which has been breached more than a thousand times in the first six months of 2023.
