Al-Qurayshi detonated a bomb that killed himself and several other people, including his wife and children, as U.S. special operations forces approached with the intention of capturing him, Biden said.
First responders reported that 13 people were killed, including six children and four women. Senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said those numbers don’t match their assessment of casualties.
“Thanks to the bravery of our troops, this horrible terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said at the White House.
U.S. forces landed in helicopters and assaulted a house in a rebel-held corner of northwest Syria, clashing for two hours with gunmen, witnesses said. The commandos were aided by helicopter gunships, armed Reaper drones and attack jets.
Al-Qurayshi was killed on the third floor of a house where he was living. One of his lieutenants barricaded himself and his family on the second floor during the raid. He and his wife fired on U.S. troops and were killed in the battle, officials said. Several children on the second floor left safely after the gunfire.
The operation “took a major terrorist leader off the battlefield and sent a strong message to terrorists around the world: We will come after you and find you,” Biden said.
