US military says it killed al-Qaeda leader in drone strike

WASHINGTON DC: The US military says it killed a senior al-Qaeda leader in an airstrike Friday in northwest Syria.

Army Major John Rigsbee, a spokesman for US Central Command, said in a statement that Abdul Hamid al-Matar was killed by a drone strike.

Rigsbee said the killing of al-Matar will disrupt al-Qaeda's "ability to further plot and carry out global attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians.'' He said al-Qaeda "uses Syria as a base for threats reaching into Syria, Iraq and beyond." The drone strike came two days after a US military outpost in southern Syria was hit by a coordinated attack that included drones and rockets. US officials said no American troops stationed there were injured or killed.