US military kills senior al Qaeda-affiliated attack planner

The U.S. military killed Muhammad Abd-al-Wahhab al-Ahmad, a senior al Qaeda-affiliated attack planner, in a strike in Syria on October 2, according to Centcom. Al-Ahmad was linked to Ansar al-Islam, a terrorist group affiliated with al Qaeda.

Adm. Brad Cooper stated, “U.S. forces in the Middle East remain postured to disrupt and defeat efforts by terrorists.”

It's unclear where in Syria the strike occurred. Earlier this year, the U.S. also killed Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, a leader of Hurras al-Din, in Northwest Syria.

The U.S. military has been reducing troop numbers in Syria, aiming for fewer than 1,000 personnel.