Biden: Top Islamic State leader in Syria killed in drone strike

President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that Maher al-Agal, a high-ranking official of the Islamic State militant group, was killed in a successful counterterrorism operation in Syria conducted by the U.S. military and intelligence community.

The top leader of ISIS in Syria, al-Agal was killed Tuesday via drone strike outside Jindayris, Syria, in an operation that targeted two senior Islamic State officials, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. Another senior official “closely associated” with al-Agal was seriously injured during the strike, Central Command also said, and an "initial review" found no civilians were killed as a result of the operation.

Biden expressed the importance of the operation in weakening the terrorist group in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

“[Al-Agal's] death in Syria takes a key terrorist off the field and significantly degrades the ability of ISIS to plan, resource, and conduct their operations in the region,” Biden said. “It sends a powerful message to all terrorists who threaten our homeland and our interests around the world.”