U.S. forces carried out an airstrike in Syria that killed Muhammad Abd-al-Wahhab al-Ahmad, a senior figure in the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Ansar al-Islam, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday.

In a statement, CENTCOM said the strike was carried out on Oct. 2 but did not disclose the exact location. The command described al-Ahmad as responsible for planning terrorist operations but provided no further details.

Local reports state that al-Ahmad was traveling in the Idlib Governorate of Northwestern Syria, when his vehicle was struck. No U.S. personnel were harmed in the operation, according to defense officials.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that its forces, in coordination with the Syrian Government, conducted a strike last Thursday, October 2nd, against a vehicle in the Idlib Governorate of Northwestern Syria, eliminating Muhammad ‘Abd-al-Wahhab al-Ahmad, a senior member… pic.twitter.com/k8kvo7qHPS

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 8, 2025

Ansar al-Islam was formed in 2001 in northeastern Iraq by Kurdish jihadists and later aligned with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s al Qaeda in Iraq. The group was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2004 and has operated in Syria since 2011, primarily in Idlib.

This is the second U.S. strike this year targeting al Qaeda elements in Syria. In February, CENTCOM forces killed Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, a senior figure in the al-Qaeda affiliated group Hurras al Din.

Though the U.S. has reduced its troop presence in Syria, it continues limited operations against al Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) remnants. Recent joint missions with Syrian and Iraqi forces have also targeted IS operatives active along the border region.

CENTCOM said it will maintain pressure on terrorist networks operating in the region. “U.S. forces remain positioned to disrupt and defeat terrorist efforts,” said CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper. “We will continue to defend our homeland, warfighters, and partners.”