US military strikes mosque in eastern Syria

By Umar Farooq

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. military on Thursday destroyed a mosque in eastern Syria, saying the house of worship was a center of Daesh terrorist operations in the area.

The strike was conducted under Operation Inherent Resolve, the American military's name for the country's intervention in Iraq and Syria, with the goal of defeating Daesh.

"ISIS continues to violate the Law of Armed Conflict and misuse protected structures like hospitals and mosques, which causes a facility to lose its protected status," U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement, using another name for the Daesh terrorist group.

CENTCOM said the strike killed Daesh terrorists who had been using the mosque as a command center, however, they did not specify how many people were killed.

The strike comes amid a withdrawal of American troops from Syria, first announced last month by President Donald Trump.

Over the past few months, the U.S. carried out several strikes on mosques throughout Syria, with the claim they hosted Daesh terrorists, killing dozens of civilians.

Last week, the U.S. struck another mosque in northern Syria a day after four Americans, including two soldiers, were killed in an apparent suicide attack claimed by Daesh in Manbij.

*Kasim Ileri contributed to this report