The Pentagon has now confirmed that one of the top commanders for ISIS in Libya has been killed by a U.S. airstrike last month.
The operation to kill Iraqi national Abu Nabil in the eastern port city of Darnah was conceived before terrorists went on a rampage in the French capital, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said.
It is believed the commander had previously been governor of Salah-ad-din province in Iraq before he was dispatched to ISIS’s franchise in Libya.
There has also been speculation that Abu Nabil was the man who threatened the West in the ISIS propaganda video in which 21 Coptic Christians were executed on a Libyan beach.
Mr Cook said: ‘Nabil’s death will degrade ISIS’ ability to meet the group’s objectives in Libya, including recruiting new ISIS members, establishing bases in Libya and planning external attacks on the United States.
Another U.S. official said the strike by an F-15 fighter jet took place shortly after the Paris terrorist attacks began on November 13, but had been planned for some time.
The Pentagon also confirmed that a top al-Shabaab military commander was killed in a U.S. airstrike on December 2.
Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis confirmed that a senior leader of the al Qaeda-affiliated group al Shabaab was killed in a U.S. military air strike in Somalia carried out on December 2.
Read More: Pentagon: US airstrikes kill ISIS head in Libya, al Qaeda senior official in Somalia
