US special operations forces killed a senior Islamic State leader, who helped direct the group's oil, gas and financial operations, during a raid in eastern Syria, the Pentagon and White House said on Saturday.
The White House said President Barack Obama ordered the raid that killed the man identified as Abu Sayyaf. US officials said his wife, Umm Sayyaf, was captured in the raid and was being held in Iraq.
White House National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said that US personnel based out of Iraq conducted the operation in al-Amr in eastern Syria. "During the course of the operation, Abu Sayyaf was killed when he engaged US forces," Meehan said.
"The president authorised this operation upon the unanimous recommendation of his national security team and as soon as we had developed sufficient intelligence and were confident the mission could be carried out successfully and consistent with the requirements for undertaking such operations," Meehan said.
"The US government did not coordinate with the Syrian regime, nor did we advise them in advance of this operation," Meehan said. US special operations troops killed about a dozen fighters during their overnight raid.
The White House said President Barack Obama ordered the raid that killed the man identified as Abu Sayyaf. US officials said his wife, Umm Sayyaf, was captured in the raid and was being held in Iraq.
White House National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said that US personnel based out of Iraq conducted the operation in al-Amr in eastern Syria. "During the course of the operation, Abu Sayyaf was killed when he engaged US forces," Meehan said.
"The president authorised this operation upon the unanimous recommendation of his national security team and as soon as we had developed sufficient intelligence and were confident the mission could be carried out successfully and consistent with the requirements for undertaking such operations," Meehan said.
"The US government did not coordinate with the Syrian regime, nor did we advise them in advance of this operation," Meehan said. US special operations troops killed about a dozen fighters during their overnight raid.
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