Pentagon says air strike killed 'senior al Qaeda leader' in Syria

WASHINGTON An air strike carried out by the United States last week killed Abu Afghan Al-Masri, a "senior al Qaeda leader," near Sarmada, Syria, on Nov. 18, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said on Tuesday.


Cook, speaking during a press briefing, told reporters that Al-Masri, an Egyptian, originally joined al Qaeda in Afghanistan and later moved to it's Syrian affiliate.


"He had ties to terrorist groups operating throughout Southwest Asia including groups responsible for attacking U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan and those plotting to attack the West," Cook said.


(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Chris Reese)

Next In World News




Britain to Trump: 'No vacancy' for Farage as ambassador


LONDON Britain on Tuesday dismissed U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's unprecedented expression of support for Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage to be made British ambassador to Washington, saying pointedly that there is no vacancy for the job.




No special favors for Britain, EU lawmakers tell Brexit chief


STRASBOURG European Parliament leaders told London's Brexit negotiator on Tuesday that Britain should expect to be shut out of cooperation in areas it values once it leaves the European Union.




Use of chlorine weapons suspected in east Aleppo: monitor


BEIRUT Containers of a chemical suspected to be chlorine were dropped by helicopters on rebel-held east Aleppo on Tuesday, causing breathing difficulties in some people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the local health authority said.

From Around the Web Promoted by Taboola
FOCUS 360