US coalition kills senior Daesh leader

US-led coalition forces killed a senior Daesh leader who operated as the group’s minister of information in an airstrike on 7 September, the Pentagon said in a statement today.

“On September 7, coalition forces conducted a precision strike near Raqqa, Syria, that targeted and killed Dr. Wa’il, also known as Wa’il Adil Hasan Salman Al-Fayad, one of ISIL’s most senior leaders,” Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said, using another acronym for Daesh.

“He operated as the minister of information for the terror organization and was a prominent member of its Senior Shura Council — ISIL’s leadership group,” Cook said.

Wa’il oversaw Daesh’s production of terrorist propaganda videos showing torture and executions.

“The removal of ISIL’s senior leaders degrades its ability to retain territory, and its ability to plan, finance and direct attacks inside and outside of the region,” he said. “We will continue to work with our coalition partners to build momentum in the campaign to deal ISIL a lasting defeat.”