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Breaking news reports tell us that a U.S. drone strike may have taken out ISIS terrorist “Jihadi John.”
The Pentagon said late Thursday it had launched an airstrike in Syria targeting “Jihadi John”, a British national seen in videos depicting the beheading of hostages held by ISIS. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook confirmed that the airstrike in Raqqa was directed at the notorious militant, also known as Mohamed Emwazi. It was not immediately clear whether Emwazi died in the airstrike, but a senior U.S. military official told Fox News, “we are 99 percent sure we got him.” The Pentagon was monitoring the aftermath of the strike before making a definitive announcement.
A senior U.S. defense official told Fox News that a drone was used in the airstrike. According to a senior military source, the drone had been tracking Emwazi for most of the day Thursday while he met with other people. The source said the strike took place shortly after Emwazi came out of a building in Raqqa, when he was “ID’d and engaged.”
… A counterterror analyst told Fox News that Emwazi became so sought-after following his appearances in the beheading videos that he was shunned by ISIS leadership. The analyst said Emwazi had become the “Typhoid Mary” of the terror group, noting that his presence had prompted airstrikes on meetings, buildings, and other commanders.
This story will continue to develop throughout the day. The Pentagon seems to be confident that Emwazi is dead, however, they have yet to confirm it. The strike was a joint effort by the United States and the UK, and is proving to be a critical moment in the effort to destabilize and ultimately eliminate ISIS.
