Who Is Hani Ahmed Al-Kurdi? ISIS Bomb Maker Captured

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Hani Ahmed Al-Kurdi aka Wali of Raqqa is a bomb maker for the terrorist group ISIS (aka the Islamic State aka Daesh) who was based in Raqqa, Syria. The US Army says that Al-Kurdi was captured by American forces on June 16 2022.

Hani Ahmed Al-Kurdi Capture Details

Hani Ahmed Al-Kurdi Captured By Coalition Forces. “The operation, said Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, “demonstrates our commitment to security of the region and to the enduring defeat of ISIS.” U.S. officials identified the suspect as Hani Ahmed Al-Kurdi, whom they said also was known as the “Wali of Raqqa.” Wali is another name for governor. Raqqa is a city in northern Syria that, for a time, was the Islamic State’s de facto capital. The raid took place in northeast Syria, officials said.” [Washington Post]

Al-Kurdi Captured Without Civilian Harm. “Coalition forces detained a senior Daesh leader during an operation in Syria June 16. The detained individual was assessed to be an experienced bomb maker and facilitator who became one of the group’s top leaders in Syria. The mission was meticulously planned to minimize the risk of collateral damage, particularly any potential harm to civilians. There were no civilians harmed during the operation nor any damage to Coalition aircraft or assets.” [Combined Joint Task Force]

Blackhawk, Chinook Helicopters Involved In Operation. “Raqqa, a city in north-central Syria, was known as the de-facto capital of ISIS’s terror-state before it was taken by Kurdish-led coalition forces backed by the US in 2017. Al-Kurdi is thought to be a bomb-maker who rose to become one of the terror group’s most-influential leaders in Syria. Major Youssef Hamoud, a spokesperson for the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army which controls the area where the raid took place, said it involved a Black Hawk and Chinook helicopter and was the first of its kind on SNA territory.” [Daily Mail]

Report: Fight Lasted Seven Minutes. “There were seven minutes of armed clashes between the troops and people inside the village before the helicopters flew off, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. They later landed at a base in the Kobane region in eastern Aleppo province, which is controlled by Turkish-backed rebel factions, it added.” [BBC]

US Officials: ISIS Still Planning Operations. “A U.S. official told ABC News the name of the ISIS leader captured in the raid is Hani Ahmed al-Kurdi and described him as actively planning ISIS operations. “Though degraded, ISIS remains a threat. We remain dedicated to its defeat. Last night’s operation, which took a senior ISIS operator off the battlefield, demonstrates our commitment to the security of the Middle East and to the enduring defeat of ISIS,” said Gen. Erik Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command, in a statement provided to ABC News.” [ABC]

First Known US Operation Of Significance Since Feb 2022. “It was the first known operation of any significance since the U.S. conducted a raid in February against Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, considered at the time to be the leader of Islamic State in Syria. Mr. al-Qurayshi detonated a bomb when U.S. forces arrived, killing himself and members of his family in the complex.” [WSJ]