A U.S. drone strike in northwestern Syria has resulted in the death of a prominent Saudi militant affiliated with an al-Qaida-linked group. The strike, which took place on Friday in the Jabal al-Zawiya area of Idlib province, targeted Abu Abdul Rahman Makki, a senior leader of the militant group Horas al-Din, also known as the “Guardians of Religion.”
The operation was conducted by a U.S.-led coalition established to combat extremist groups like the Islamic State. Makki was reportedly killed while riding a motorcycle, hit by two missiles. The U.S. Central Command confirmed the death, stating that Makki was responsible for overseeing terrorist operations from Syria.
General Michael Erik Kurilla of CENTCOM emphasized the commitment to defeating terrorists who threaten regional stability and U.S. interests. Horas al-Din, comprised of hardcore al-Qaida members who previously broke away from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has been a focus of U.S. counterterrorism efforts.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring organization, reported that Makki was also a former leader of the now-defunct militant group Jund al-Aqsa. Local sources noted that Makki had been previously imprisoned by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
This strike follows similar actions targeting Horas al-Din members in the region, underscoring ongoing U.S. efforts to combat al-Qaida-linked militancy in Syria.
