On May 17, a combined Special Operations raid killed two regional Islamic State leaders in eastern Syria.

The assault force was comprised of a U.S. Special Operations element and a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) partner force.

In a press release, Operation Inherent Resolve identified the two ISIS leaders as Ahmad ‘Isa Ismail al-Zawi, AKA Abu Ali al-Baghdadi – no relation to the former leader of ISIS – and Ahmad ‘Abd Muhammad Hasan al-Jughayfi, AKA Abu Ammar.

Al-Baghdadi was the Wali (governor) of North Baghdad and the middleman between ISIS HQ and the fighters on the ground in that region. Abu Ammar was responsible for coordinating the acquisition and movement of materiel and men across the Syrian-Iraqi border.