The leader of Islamic State in Syria, one of the top five leaders of the militant group, has been killed in a U.S. air strike, the U.S. military said on Tuesday, Reuters reports.
In a statement, U.S. Central Command said Maher al-Agal had been killed in a drone strike in north-westen Syria and a close associate of his was seriously injured.
"Extensive planning went into this operation to ensure its successful execution. An initial review indicates there were no civilian casualties," the statement added.
It said al-Agal was responsible for developing ISIS networks outside of Iraq and Syria.
Reuters had earlier reported on the killing, citing U.S. officials.
It would be another blow to the Islamist insurgent group's efforts to reorganize as a guerrilla force after losing large swathes of territory.
The United States has roughly 900 troops in Syria, mostly in the east of the country splintered by a decade of civil war, although President Joe Biden's administration has yet to detail its long-term plan for the eight-year-old mission.
The Syrian Civil Defence, a humanitarian organization operating in opposition-held areas, said an unidentified drone targeted a motorcycle in the village of Khaltan in the northern countryside of the Aleppo region, killing two people.
The U.S. military did not mention a motorcycle in its statement but said a senior ISIS official closely associated with Maher was seriously injured during the strike.
