In northwestern Syria, a drone strike targeted and killed a Saudi militant affiliated with an al-Qaida-linked group as he was travelling on a motorcycle in the Jabal al-Zawiya area of Idlib province. The attack is suspected to have been carried out by a U.S.-led coalition that has been active in the region to combat extremist groups like the Islamic State.
The Saudi militant, identified as Abu Abdul Rahman Makki, was a former leader of the disbanded Jund al-Aqsa militant group. The strike, confirmed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, resulted in Makki’s death when the motorcycle he was on was struck by two missiles, according to local media activist Kenana Hindawi.
Abu Abdul Rahman Makki was known to be associated with the Horas al-Din faction, also known as the “Guardians of Religion,” consisting of radical al-Qaida members who separated from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a prominent insurgent group in Idlib province. The Observatory mentioned that Makki had previously been held captive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham before joining Horas al-Din.
In the past, the U.S. military has conducted various attacks targeting al-Qaida-affiliated militants in northwestern Syria, though they have not commented on this specific drone strike. Last year, a similar drone strike in Idlib claimed the lives of two members of Horas al-Din.