US forces kill Al-Qaeda-linked leader connected to December Syria attack: Centcom

US military forces have killed a leader of an Al-Qaeda affiliate linked to a Daesh attack on American personnel in Syria last month, US Central Command said on Saturday.

The militant, identified as Bilal Hasan Al-Jasim, had “direct ties” to a Daesh gunman who killed and wounded US and Syrian personnel in an attack on December 13 in Palmyra, Syria, the command said.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command.

Since the December 13 attack, US forces have carried out a series of strikes in Syria, hitting more than 100 Daesh targets, according to the US military.