The leader of the Islamic State (IS) group, Abu Ibrahim al-Hachimi al-Qurachi, was killed during an American operation in northern Syria on Thursday February 3. “[Nous avons] eliminated a major terrorist threat”, welcomed Joe Biden during a press conference at the White House on Thursday. Franceinfo takes stock of what we know about this assault, which also left several civilians dead.
He had been head of ISIS for two years
Real name Amir Mohammed Said Abdel Rahman Al-Mawla, the leader of IS was a jihadist with multiple assumed names, presented by the jihadist group as “the emir” Abu Ibrahim Al-Hashimi Al-Qurachi. Also nicknamed “the teacher” where the “destructive”he was of Iraqi nationality and was 45 years old.
He had succeeded at the end of October 2019 to the previous leader of the terrorist organization, Abu Bakr Al-Bagdadi, killed during another raid by American special forces. Very little known to the general public, Abou Ibrahim Al-Qourachi had notably led the massacre of the Kurdophone minority of the Yazidis.
According to US officials quoted by the New York Times, the intelligence services learned in 2021 that Abu Ibrahim Al-Qurachi was in the Atme region in northwestern Syria. The building in which he lived was identified with more precision in December. The owner of the building told AFP that he had been living there for eleven months.
He killed himself to avoid capture
The raid against Al-Qurachi lasted about two hours. The assault was led by “about two dozen” members of the special forces, who arrived by helicopter and benefited from the support of armed drones and fighter jets, according to the New York Times. US President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris followed the operations from a White House command room.
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White House and US military officials claimed the IS leader died while detonating a bomb to avoid capture. “He killed himself and his immediate family without a fight, even as we tried to call him to surrender”said General Kenneth McKenzie, chief of the Central Command of the American army.“Due to the explosion on the second floor, US forces discovered the ISIS emir dead on the ground outside the building”he added, before specifying that the “fingerprint and DNA analyzes had confirmed” his identity.
Several civilians died during the assault
US officials said at least three civilians died during the raid, in addition to Al-Qurachi and two others. Ten others, including eight children, were evacuated safe and sound by special forces.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH), which has a vast network of sources in the country, for its part reported 13 dead. The NGO claims that one of the jihadist leader’s main associates was also killed during the operation.
During a press conference on Thursday, Joe Biden explained that he had favored a commando operation in order to “minimize civilian casualties”. “Knowing that this terrorist had chosen to surround himself with families, including children, we made the choice of a special forces raid, much more risky for our soldiers, rather than targeting him with an airstrike”he detailed.
US vows to hunt down next IS leader
The IS attack on Ghwayran prison, launched at the end of January, had raised fears of a resurgence of the terrorist group, nearly three years after the end of its “caliphate”. After the death of Al-Qurachi, however, the organization will have to reorganize and find a new leader. According to AFP, several experts believe that it will most likely be another Iraqi.
The White House told CNN (link in English)Thursday, February 3, that the next head of the organization “would meet the same fate” thatAbu Ibrahim Al-Qurachi. A senior official also clarified that the United States would carry out other operations aimed at reducing the capacity of the IS to carry out attacks.