US Army shows how they eliminated leader of Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria
US military conducts an airstrike on a target in Syria (Illustrative photo: x.com/CENTCOM)
The US military carried out an operation in Syria, during which a senior military leader of the jihadist group Hurras al-Din ("HaD"), which is affiliated with the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, was eliminated. The target was destroyed in an airstrike, according to the Twitter account (X) of the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
The US Department of Defense clarified that this operation took place in northwestern Syria on February 23.
CENTCOM informed that US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, targeting and killing Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, the senior military leader of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate.
The US also stated that the airstrike was part of CENTCOM's ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the US, our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond.
According to General Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, the military will continue to relentlessly pursue these terrorists to protect our homeland, as well as US personnel, allies, and partners in the region.
CENTCOM also released footage of the operation in Syria. The video, filmed from the sky, shows the moment a vehicle moving along the road was struck. After the hit, the vehicle comes to a stop.
CENTCOM Forces Kill the Senior Military Leader of Al-Qaeda Affiliate Hurras al-Din (HaD) in Syria
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 1, 2025
On Feb. 23, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, targeting and killing Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, the senior military leader of… pic.twitter.com/trhDvgdgne
What is known about Hurras al-Din
As pointed out by the US side, the group is linked to the international Sunni jihadist terrorist organization Al-Qaeda. Specifically, Hurras al-Din (from Arabic – Guardians of the Religion Organization) is referred to as Al-Qaeda in Syria.
CENTCOM previously stated that Hurras al-Din is based in Syria and shares Al-Qaeda's global ambitions to carry out attacks on US and Western interests.
The Hurras al-Din group was founded in 2018 and participated in the battles during the Syrian Civil War. The leader of the organization, Abu Humam al-Shami, was the chief military commander of the now-defunct Al-Nusra Front and fought alongside Al-Qaeda during the 1990s Afghan Civil War and in the insurgency in Iraq.
In September 2019, the US Department of State recognized Hurras al-Din as a foreign terrorist organization.
In July of the previous year, CENTCOM stated that the terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS) is attempting to double the number of attacks and assaults and revive itself after its so-called lull in the Middle East.
In August 2024, it was reported that a senior leader of the Islamist terrorist group Hurras al-Din, Abu-’Abd al-Rahman al-Makki, was eliminated in Syria. The operation was carried out by US military forces.
At the end of January, it became known that US forces conducted a targeted airstrike in Syria, resulting in the elimination of a high-ranking fighter from the Syrian wing of Al-Qaeda.
Additionally, on February 18, US President Donald Trump announced that American military forces had carried out a precision strike against one of the leaders of Al-Qaeda on Syrian territory.
