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Washington: An al-Qaeda linked leader has been killed in the third round of US retaliatory strikes in Syria. According to officials, the leader had direct links to the Islamic State (IS) member who was responsible for an ambush in Syria last month. Two American soldiers and an interpreter were killed in this ambush attack.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Bilal Hassan al-Jassim was killed in an attack in north-western Syria on Friday. It claims he was “a top terrorist leader who orchestrated attacks and was directly linked to the December 13 attack” that killed Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and US civilian interpreter Ayad Mansour Sakat.

“The elimination of a terrorist linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our unwavering resolve to pursue those who attack our forces,” Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the U.S. Command, said in a statement. There is no safe haven for those who attack, plan, or instigate attacks on American citizens and our troops. We will find you.”

This attack is part of a broader US operation, which was ordered by US President Donald Trump after the deadly attack on Americans. It aims to target “ISIS gangsters” who are trying to regroup after the ouster of dictatorial leader Bashar al-Assad from power a year ago. Centcom said that under this operation called “Hockey Strike”, the US and its partners such as Jordan and Syria have targeted more than 100 targets to the infrastructure and weapons of the Islamic State.