Washington, DC - Today, Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement regarding the administration’s counterterrorism operation in Syria where an ISIS leader was eliminated:

“I commend President Biden and the courage of our servicemembers who conducted last night’s operation to eliminate the threat posed by Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi. Though its territorial caliphate has been defeated, the threat of ISIS remains and continues to pose threats to Syrian and Iraqi civilians. The legacy of ISIS’ brutality, particularly against minority communities as well as women and children, should not be forgotten. Our nation and the region are safer because of this mission, though tragically, a number of Syrian civilians perished as a result of al-Qurayshi’s detonation of explosives in the final moments of the operation. I will continue to work to ensure such operations are conducted with the utmost regard for the lives of non-combatants.”