Isis leader killed by US drone strike in Syria, Pentagon says

US Reaper drones in Syria were able to seek out and destroy a top Isis commander on Friday despite interference from the Russian military, the Pentagon said on Sunday.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the Defense Department said that a group of Reaper aircraft destroyed a motorcycle being ridden by Usamah al-Muhajir, thought by US forces to be a top commander of Islamic State forces remaining in the Aleppo region of Syria. Isis has been pushed out of every inch of territory over which it once claimed military control, but pockets of fighters and leaders of the terrorist group remain dispersed around the region, plotting attacks against Syrian forces and the west.

The Independent has reached out to the Pentagon for further comment.

Photos and video released by the agency showed the moment that the aircraft were confronted by Russian fighter jets carrying out “unsafe” maneuvers as they sought their target, which according to defence officials took place just hours before the successful strike.

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