Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was killed during a U.S. counterterrorism operation in northwestern Syria on Wednesday night, President Joe Biden said in a statement.
“Last night at my direction, U.S. military forces in northwest Syria successfully undertook a counterterrorism operation to protect the American people and our allies, and make the world a safer place,” Biden said.
Qurayshi detonated a bomb that killed himself and members of his family, including women and children, at the beginning of the operation, according to a senior U.S. official.
