WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday that a leader of the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was killed in a U.S. "precision airstrike" in Syria on Thursday.
"On Dec. 19, U.S. Central Command Forces conducted a precision airstrike targeting ISIS leader Abu Yusif aka Mahmud in the Dayr az Zawr Province, Syria, resulting in two ISIS operatives killed, including Abu Yusif," CENTCOM said in a statement.
The statement quoted CENTCOM Commander Michael Kurilla as saying that over 8,000 "ISIS operatives" are currently being detained in facilities in Syria. ■