US Central Command said Wednesday that it launched an airstrike in northwest Syria that killed an al-Qaeda leader but did not name the target or release other details of the strike, and local reports suggest a civilian was killed.
“At 11:42 a.m. local time on May 3rd, US Central Command forces conducted a unilateral strike in Northwest Syria targeting a senior Al Qaeda leader,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a drone strike hit a poultry farm in the area and killed one person that hasn’t yet been identified.
Local sources later told the SOHR that a 60-year-old sheep herder not affiliated with any military faction was killed, suggesting the strike killed a civilian. CENTCOM said it would provide more information on the strike “as operational details become available.”
US drone strikes have a history of harming civilians, and the Pentagon is notorious for undercounting or lying about civilian casualties.
The strike targeted Syria’s northwest Idlib province, which is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaeda-linked group. US drone strikes in the region in recent years have mainly targeted members of Hurras al-Din, an HTS/al-Qaeda offshoot. US drone strikes in the region have also targeted suspected ISIS members.
Most likely they sensed he was intel gathering for Iran so he got taken out for safety measures.
“sensed” LOL
Civilian Reported Killed in US Drone Strike in Northwest Syria
what, only one this time?
Yeah, they missed his wife and kids.
Somehow we ended up in the timeline where Spock has facial hair and the US are nazi loving badguys.
Disturbing info.
Life of a person is zero.zero worth for those soldiers.
Yes, that’s how military types think. And they would erase me or you, as well as a whole city without a thought. It’s hard to think they’re not remnants of a less evolved species.
The two descriptions could be of the same guy.
Why couldn’t that guy have a herd of goats?
Around here it would be cattle and those folks are not living in run down hovels.
A herd of goats over there might not be such a stretch for someone of status.
And people wonder why we’re in Syria. Today a goat herder, tomorrow a terrorist flying planes into our buildings. I feel so safe now.
They are targeting the group that is the only strong competitor to HTS. It will take YEARS for analysts to change narratives. It is sll public record, just little bit if effort would suffice. To sum up, HTS Al-Qaeda fame was entirely manufactored, Made in the West. Its initial Nusra Front was seeded by mostly British operatives with the goal of attracting anti-Assad rebellion. They were initially successful, well known for their “White Helmets” media blitz. A number of fake chemical attacks were orchestrated with Nusra affiliated groups. Nusra’s last major stand was Aleppo. After having to capitulate. they requested to go to Idlib — at the time controlled by a number of Islamist groups.
Upin getting into Idlib, they changed name into HTS.
Their first goal was to cause humanitarian crisis in Idlib and force population to flee into Turkey. Syrian government tried to take control of Kurdish Afrin to prevent HTS planned chais. But YPG in Afrin objected, which brought Turkey forces into Afrin, and HTS in Idlib was cut off from Kurdish smughling routes on Rurkey-Syria border.
Since, US lobbies for UN deluvery of supplies to Idlib. For as long as HTS controls the groups in Idlib there is no chance of Syria cintrolling Idlib. It would take military operation in densely populated area. Many grouos in Idlub tried to get protection from Turkey, or wanted reconciliation with Damascus, HTS with US help had them punished. Alternately, if any group gets stronger or many unite against HTS — also closely watched by US and addressed by drines.
How long will it take for the narrative to accept realities. There is no Al-Qaeds. There was none since 2001-2002. There is no ISIS. It stopped being funded since June 2017, but its remnants were trapped in Mosul and Raqqa, where they finally disapoeared by 2018. Whatever we call today Al-Qaeda or ISIS has nothing whatsoever to do with their original purpose, funding or sponsors.
HTS in Idlib remains US and UK project. Whitw Helmets were evacuated to Germany mong time ago. HRS is trying to keep liyalty of other groups. Disloyal are visited occassionally by US drones. What is called ISISCtoday are militants in former refugee camp within US controlled Al-Tanf. Once in a while they are sent out to cause terror, And nustify mission in Syria, All pretty tawdry.