ISIS leader wiped out in US raid, Joe Biden confirms

A US special forces raid in north-western Syria early on Thursday killed the leader of the so-called Islamic State group, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, President Joe Biden said.

“Thanks to the skill and bravery of our armed forces, we have taken off the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of Isis,” Mr Biden said in a statement.

He said all Americans involved in the operation returned safely.

Mr Biden said he would address the American people later on Thursday on the raid.

This comes after US special operations forces launched a large-scale counter-terrorism raid in north-western Syria, in what the Pentagon said was a “successful mission”.

First responders at the scene reported 13 people had been killed, including six children and four women.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a brief statement: “The mission was successful. There were no US casualties. More information will be provided as it becomes available.”

The raid was in Syria’s rebel-held north-western province of Idlib.

Idlib is home to several top al Qaida operatives.

Residents and activists in the area described seeing a large ground assault, and US forces using loudspeakers asking women and children to leave the area. There was at least one major explosion.

A US official said that one of the helicopters in the raid suffered a mechanical problem and had to be blown up on the ground.

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