US strike in Syria on 'senior' militant, US military says

Killing 'will disrupt Al Qaeda's ability to carry out attacks', US defence says

A US Air Force MQ-1B Predator drone. US Air Force / AFP

The US carried out a strike in Syria's Idlib province on Monday on a senior leader of an Al Qaeda-aligned militant group, the American military said.

The strikes were aimed at Abu Hamzah Al Yemeni, a "senior leader" of Hurras Al Din, while he was travelling alone on a motorcycle, the military said.

"Violent extremist organisations, including Al Qaeda-aligned organisations such as Hurras Al Din, continue to present a threat to America and our allies," US Central Command said.

"Al Qaeda-aligned militants use Syria as a safe haven to co-ordinate with their external affiliates and plan operations outside of Syria.

American sailors move a US Navy X-47B unmanned combat air system demonstrator on to an elevator aboard the aircraft carrier ‘USS George H.W. Bush’ in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship was the first to successfully catapult-launch an unmanned aircraft from its flight deck. Photo: US Navy

An RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft like the one shown is currently flying non-military mapping missions over South America, Central America and the Caribbean at the request of partner nations in the region. Photo: US Air Force / Bobbi Zapka

A still image, taken from a video footage released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows a Russian Altius-U military long-range unmanned aerial vehicle during a test flight at an unknown location. Photo: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation / Handout via Reuters

The first joint flight of a Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle and a Sukhoi Su-57 jet fighter. As part of a testing programme, Okhotnik has performed a fully unmanned flight into an airborne alert area. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry / Tass

A screengrab of an S-70 unmanned combat air vehicle.

The Lockheed Martin SR-72, sometimes called Son of Blackbird, is a US hypersonic UAV drone intended for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Photo: Lockheed Martin

A team of 12th Aircraft Maintenance Unit Airmen walk beside an RQ-4 Global Hawk drone. EPA

An X-47B pilot-less drone is launched for the first time off an aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia.

"The removal of this senior leader will disrupt Al Qaeda's ability to carry out attacks against US citizens, our partners and innocent civilians around the world."

It said that an initial review did not indicate any civilian casualties.

The Syrian Civil Defence, a humanitarian organisation, said in a tweet that a man was killed shortly before midnight after his motorcycle was attacked with two rockets.

The defence said it had transferred the body to the forensics department in Idlib city.

Reuters contributed reporting