US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to commend the US military’s recent operation in Syria. Trump hailed the successful airstrike that took down a senior member of Hurras al-Din (HaD), an al-Qaeda affiliate.
“US forces conducted a precision airstrike against a member of al-Qaeda in Syria this weekend. The terrorist leader was working with al-Qaeda across the region. Congratulations to CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla, and the US warfighters who dealt Justice to another Jihadi threatening America and our allies and partners,” Trump posted.
CENTCOM confirms successful strike
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the airstrike occurred on Saturday in Northwest Syria, targeting a senior finance and logistics official of Hurras al-Din. According to CENTCOM’s statement on X, the operation aimed to “disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel” from the US and its allies.
CENTCOM’s commitment
CENTCOM General Michael Erik Kurilla reiterated the United States’ resolve in the fight against terrorism, emphasizing the continued threat posed by such groups in the region.
“We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region,” General Kurilla said in a statement. The ongoing operations aim to protect both US personnel and the broader regional security interests of its partners.
Ongoing efforts against terrorism
This strike follows another successful operation on January 30, when CENTCOM eliminated Muhammad Salah al-Zabir, another senior operative from the same al-Qaeda affiliate.
What is Hurras al-Din?
Hurras al-Din was founded in February 2018 and has remained a persistent threat in Syria and the wider Middle East region. The organization’s leadership has been deeply entrenched in al-Qaeda’s global network. Despite a public announcement in late 2024 about its dissolution, the group’s members have been targeted by US operations aimed at weakening al-Qaeda’s influence.
The US has also put forward rewards for information leading to the capture of key members of Hurras al-Din, underlining the continued threat posed by the group and the importance of global cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.
