US airstrikes kill 'IS' militants linked to Paris attacks
December 13, 2016
The men had planned attacks on Western targets at the time they were killed, a US official said. Germany has warned of increased attacks on European soil amid large-scale operations to uproot the group in Iraq and Syria.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/EPA/M. Fredericks
Advertisement
The Pentagon on Tuesday said a US drone strike in Syria killed two leaders of the self-declared "Islamic State" (IS) linked to attacks committed in Paris in November 2015, along with another French militant.
"A coalition precision airstrike conducted on December 4 in Raqqa, Syria, resulted in the deaths of three ISIL leaders directly involved in facilitating external terror operations and recruiting foreign fighters," said Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis.
"The three were working together to plot and facilitate attacks against Western targets at the time of the strike," he added.
The Pentagon identified the militants as Salah-Eddine Gourmat and Sammy Djedou, who partially facilitated the Paris attacks, and French national Walid Hamman, who Belgium in 2015 convicted in absentia for involvement in a foiled terror plot.
The three men were killed when a drone fired on a vehicle transporting them together, Davis said.
'Raised the threat level'
Earlier this week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said large-scale counter terrorism operations in Iraq and Syria "has raised the threat level in our country."
Iraqi forces backed by coalition airstrikes have launched a campaign to recapture Mosul after it fell to IS in June 2014.
Last month, Washington said efforts to liberate Syria's Raqqa, the militant group's de facto capital, would likely take place concurrently to the Mosul operation.
IS rose to notoriety in 2014, when it took over large swathes of land in Syria and Iraq during a swift offensive. However, the militants have lost a vast amount of territory due to a US-led coalition against the militant group.
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
