• A U.S. raid in Syria kills the Islamic States’ number 2 leader
• Reportedly killed was Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli
• US Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced Al-Qaduli’s death during a conference in Pentagon
The United States defense officials said the Islamic States’ number 2 leader has been killed in a U.S raid in Syria.
The death of Haji Imam, whose real name is Abd al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, was confirmed by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford during a press conference in Pentagon on Friday, March 25.
An article published by The New York Times on March 25, 2016 said the American forces were following Imam’s vehicle with two helicopters and planned to capture him alive. The plan was to land Special Operations soldiers, seize the militant leader and bring him to the helicopter.
However, for unknown reasons, the plan was altered and the U.S. forces fired at Imam’s vehicle; killing him and 3 others. U.S. officials are mum on what made the special operation forces modify their plan.
Carter said Imam acted as ISIS’ finance minister and was expected to take over the day-to-day operation of the extremist group if its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghadi, would be killed or become incapacitated.
The defense secretary said the killing of Imam was significant.
“We’ve taken out the leader who oversees the funding for ISIL’s operations, hurting their ability to pay fighters and hire recruits,” Carter, using another acronym for ISIS, explained.
He added: “We are systematically eliminating ISIL’s cabinet. He was the second senior ISIL leader we’ve successfully targeted this month.”
Earlier this month, the Pentagon announced the death of ISIS’ Minister of War “Omar the Chechen.”
Carter said the killing of ISIS leaders is not sufficient to end the danger the group posed, but eliminating them is an important objective.
“Striking leadership is necessary, but as you note, it’s far from sufficient. Leaders can be replaced. However, these leaders have been around for a long time. They are senior, they’re experienced, and so eliminating them is an important objective and it achieves an important result. But they will be replaced, and we’ll continue to go after their leadership,” Carter said.
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