Syria, Dec 21 (V7N) — Abu Yusuf, also known as Mahmoud, the top leader of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, has been killed in a US airstrike in Syria's Deir ez-Zor province. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the operation in a statement released today (December 21).

The strike, carried out on Thursday, also killed two other individuals linked to ISIS. CENTCOM emphasized its commitment to preventing ISIS from exploiting the current instability in Syria.

This operation follows a series of US airstrikes last week targeting ISIS bases in northern Syria. Washington claimed these bases had been established after the fall of Syrian government forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia after Damascus was captured by the rebel-led group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on December 8.

CENTCOM's statement reaffirmed the United States' resolve to eliminate ISIS leadership and disrupt its operations, ensuring the group cannot capitalize on the evolving situation in the region.

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