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U.S. NEWSWednesday 30 December
US official: Airstrikes have killed 10 Islamic State leaders
LOLITA C. BALDOR ren told Pentagon reporters rectly linked to Abdel Ha-
Associated Press that the militants were killed mid Abaaoud, the Paris at-
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. mainly by drone strikes in tack cell leader. Mouadan,
and coalition airstrikes Iraq and Syria. who was killed by an air-
killed 10 Islamic State lead- He offered few details, but strike last Thursday in Syria,
ers over the past month, said at least two of those was planning additional
including several linked to killed were linked to the attacks against the West,
the Paris attacks or other Paris attacks. According Warren said. Also killed
plots against the West, to Warren, one of the insur- was Abdel Kader Hakim,
a U.S. military official in Iraq gents killed was Charaffe al who was part of the Islamic
said Tuesday. Mouadan, a Syrian-based State group’s effort to plan
U.S. Army Col. Steve War- IS member who was di- attacks against Western
Spokesman for the US-led coalition in Iraq Col. Steve Warren
speaks to reporters during a news conference in Baghdad, Iraq.
Col. Warren told Pentagon reporters that U.S. and coalition air-
strikes killed 10 Islamic State leaders over the past month, in-
cluding several linked to the Paris attacks or other plots against
the West.
(AP Photo/K. Mohammed, Pool)
targets and “had links” to The commandos — likely
the Paris attack network, about 100 — would oper-
Warren said. Most of the 10 ate in small teams, gath-
appeared to be mid-level ering intelligence that will
leaders. fuel airstrikes and other op-
Warren’s announcement erations. So far, the Penta-
came as Belgian authorities gon has not said when the
said they had arrested two special operations forces
men in connection with a will deploy.
suspected plot involving Warren said that one of the
attacks during the holiday other militants killed was
season in Brussels. They from Bangladesh but was
said the plans involved at- educated as a computer
tacks similar to those that systems engineer in the
hit Paris on Nov. 13, when United Kingdom.
130 people were killed and The insurgent, Siful Haque
hundreds more wounded Sujan, was killed near
by suicide bombers and Raqqa, Syria. He worked as
gunmen. The Islamic State a computer hacker for the
group has claimed respon- Islamic State group and co-
sibility for the Paris attacks. ordinated anti-surveillance
The U.S. is ramping up pres- technology and weapons
sure on such high-value development, Warren said.
militants. Earlier this month, “We’re striking at the head
President Barack Obama of this snake,” Warren said.
announced that he is send- “We haven’t severed the
ing U.S. special operations head of the snake yet, and
forces into Iraq to conduct it’s still got fangs. We have
clandestine raids targeting to be clear about that.
Islamic State group lead- There’s much more fighting
ers. to do.”q
