US Drone Strike Kills Al-Qaeda Leader in Syria

The U.S. military announced it successfully killed Abu Abdul Rahman al-Makki, a senior leader and Shura Council member of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group Hurras al-Din, in a drone strike in northwestern Syria. The strike took place in the Jabal al-Zawiya area of Idlib province, targeting Makki while he was riding a motorcycle. Makki was responsible for overseeing terrorist operations and was a significant figure in the group, which aims to conduct attacks against U.S. and Western interests. Hurras al-Din, formed by Al-Qaeda loyalists in 2018, has been weakened by significant personnel losses and operations by rival groups. The U.S. military maintains around 900 troops in Syria as part of an international coalition to combat jihadist groups. This strike underscores ongoing efforts by the U.S.-led coalition to eliminate key extremist figures in the region.