The US military killed the senior military commander of Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria in an airstrike in the northwestern part of the country on February 23. The strike against Hurras al Din (HAD) is the fourth since the Trump administration took office in January.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on March 1 that it killed Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, who it identified as “the senior military leader of the terrorist organization Hurras al Din.” Talay was killed in a drone strike that targeted his vehicle as he traveled on a road in Idlib province in northwestern Syria. Idlib is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), the terror group that overthrew the Assad regime and has formed a government in Damascus.
“[W]e will continue to relentlessly pursue these terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and US, allied, and partner personnel in the region,” said CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla.
The strike that killed Talay is the third against HAD during February and the fourth since President Donald Trump took office on January 20. On January 21, CENTCOM announced that it killed Wasim Tahsin Bayraqdar, who it identified as “a senior leadership facilitator.” CENTCOM reported that it killed an unidentified HAD “senior finance and logistics official” on February 15.
The US also killed Muhammad Salah al-Zabir, who CENTCOM described as “a senior operative in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din,” on January 31.
Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria
HAD is Al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria and was formed in February 2018 by top leaders who had served in Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), the Al Qaeda-linked terror group that overthrew the Bashar al Assad regime in December 2024 and is now forming a government.
HAD is thought to have upwards of 2,500 fighters in its ranks and is based primarily in Syria’s Idlib province, which, before the overthrow of the Assad regime, was controlled by HTS. HAD released a statement on January 28 saying the group had dissolved but telling its members not to disarm and to be prepared for the next phase of the fight.
HAD and HTS are listed by the US government as terrorist organizations, and the leaders of both groups are listed as Specially Designated Global Terrorists for their ties to Al Qaeda. Despite the terror designations, the Biden administration removed the $10 million reward for HTS emir Abu Mohammad al Jolani in late December 2024 so that US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf could meet with him. The meeting signaled that the US government was preparing to remove the designations for HTS and recognize Jolani as the leader of Syria.
Jolani, who has since avoided using his nom de guerre in favor of his legal name, Ahmad al Sharaa, was appointed the interim president of Syria on January 29.
The recent spate of US strikes indicates that the Trump administration is less eager than the Biden administration to engage with a new regime with deep terrorist affiliations. These strikes may also put additional pressure on Jolani, who is beholden to Al Qaeda-linked terror groups for his rise to power and relies on these groups to maintain authority in areas of Syria under their control.
