Statement on the Death of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) Terrorist Organization Member Maher al-Agal in a United States Counterterrorism Operation in Syria

Today the men and women of the U.S. military and of our intelligence community successfully executed an airstrike against one of the top leaders of ISIS, Maher al-Agal. His death in Syria takes a key terrorist off the field and significantly degrades the ability of ISIS to plan, resource, and conduct their operations in the region. And, like the U.S. operation in February that eliminated ISIS's overall leader, it sends a powerful message to all terrorists who threaten our homeland and our interests around the world: The United States will be relentless in its efforts to bring you to justice.

This airstrike represents the culmination of determined and meticulous intelligence work and stands as testament to the bravery and skill of our Armed Forces. It also demonstrates that the United States does not require thousands of troops in combat missions to identify and eliminate threats to our country.

On behalf of the American people, whose lives they protect every day, I thank them for their service, their dedication, their professionalism, and for the teamwork that led to this successful outcome. The American people—and our allies and partners—are safer today because of their actions.