The United States says a U.S. commando raid has led to the killing of a top Islamic State leader in eastern Syria.
The White House said in a statement on May 16 that President Barack Obama ordered the raid that killed Abu Sayyaf, who helped direct the extremist group's oil, gas, and financial operations.
The Reuters news agency says this was the first known U.S. special forces operation inside Syria apart from a failed secret effort to rescue a number of U.S. and other foreign hostages held by Islamic State last year.
White House National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said the operation was conducted from Iraq with the full consent of Iraqi authorities. She said the White House did not warn or coordinate with the Syrian government.
