Admin l Friday, March 17, 2017
WASHINGTON, United States – The military has said that dozens of core al-Qaida leaders have been killed in a U.S. strike in Jinah, Syria, yesterday, a Pentagon spokesman has said.
In a statement, Director of Defense Preparations, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said that a mosque in the area was not targeted in the attack.
“I wanted to draw your attention to it, because I think there are a lot of reports suggesting that we had targeted a mosque. We did not. Of course, you know we never would,” he said.
The strike, conducted by manned and unmanned aircraft, occurred about 17 miles southwest of Aleppo at 7 p.m. local time, Davis said.
“We struck a meeting of senior al-Qaida terrorists — some of these were likely high-value individuals. We’re currently assessing that”, he said.
He said the area has been a significant safe haven for al-Qaida since it re-established a Shura Council in Syria last year and that extensive surveillance took place before the strike.
“We do not currently assess there were any civilian casualties,” he said. “As always, you know we take extraordinary measures to mitigate the loss of civilian life in our operations.”
In Iraq, Davis said, the battle for western Mosul is now in its 27th day. Iraqi security forces continue to make gains and defend their ground against fierce enemy resistance, he said. The Iraqi forces are nearing a bridge, commonly known as the “Iron Bridge,” in the center of the city, Davis said. “They are just about at that bridge, they don’t yet control it,” he added. “They’re into the densest part of the city here.”
