NEW - @PentagonPresSec confirms (via @jseldin) that a U.S. drone strike *did* target a senior #AlQaeda leader in #Idlib earlier today.

For more info, see my thread above.

— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) September 20, 2021

Abu al-Bara had been a senior Nusra leader prior to defecting from #HTS in late-2017.

He was Nusra's chief shari'i in Deir ez Zor 2013-14 & later Nusra's wali in the Badiya.

He's personally close to Huras al-Din deputy, Sami al-Oraydi. pic.twitter.com/kQNQfUVtlr

— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) September 20, 2021