US intensifies strikes against al-Qaeda in Syria as part of wider campaign

KABUL -- US forces have in recent weeks ramped up an aggressive campaign targeting former leaders of the recently dissolved al-Qaeda affiliate Hurras al-Deen in Syria, killing several key figures.

The move comes as part of a wider campaign to eliminate al-Qaeda affiliates wherever the group has attempted to put down roots, in addition to targeting the group's traditional base in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

On February 23, Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay (aka Jafar al-Turki) was killed in a US drone strike in Syria's Idlib province. He had attempted to form a splinter group following Hurras al-Deen's dissolution, media sources said.

A US airstrike on February 21 eliminated Hurras al-Deen senior leadership facilitator Wasim Tahsin Bayraqdar in northwest Syria, the US military said.

On February 15, a US strike killed a Hurras al-Deen senior finance and logistics official along the M4 highway in Syria; and on January 30, senior operative Muhammad Salah al-Zabir was killed in a US strike in Idlib province.

Hurras al-Deen announced its dissolution on January 28.

"The reason for the disbandment of Hurras al-Deen in Syria is the group's successive defeats," Italy-based Afghan military analyst Mohammad Naim Ghayur told Salaam Times.

"In recent months, most of its senior leaders and key members have been eliminated, leaving it incapable of further operations," he said.

"Many al-Qaeda members have distanced themselves from the network out of fear of US airstrikes," Ghayur added.

"No one is willing to take on leadership roles within al-Qaeda or its affiliates anymore, as they know it would be tantamount to suicide," he added, noting that other al-Qaeda affiliates will likely follow Hurras al-Deen's path and disband.

'Un-Islamic actions'

Al-Qaeda-affiliated Hurras al-Deen has been accused of murder, assassinations, extortion and terrorist attacks.

While it identified itself as an Islamist movement, analysts and religious scholars say its actions violate Islamic values and principles.

"For years, al-Qaeda's terrorist activities have had no connection to Islam," Herat-based political analyst Jawad Anees told Salaam Times.

"The group's leaders have killed innocent people solely to advance their own interests and objectives," he said. "Many members abandoned al-Qaeda after recognizing its anti-Islamic practices."

"Terrorist groups like al-Qaeda have long targeted young people for recruitment, particularly those who are uneducated or struggling financially," Anees said.

"These groups' leaders have manipulated and exploited youth for their own gain, amassing vast amounts of money in the process."

The dismantling of al-Qaeda in Syria follows the group's deterioration in Afghanistan, where US-led coalition strikes have eliminated most of its top commanders.