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US raid in Syria kills 'senior Islamic State leader'

A suspected Islamic State senior leader has been killed in a Special Ops raid in Syria, US Secretary of Defence has said.

The mission - sanctioned by Barack Obama - was intended merely to capture Abu Sayyaf, who the US said helped direct "illict oil, gas and financial operations".

However, the suspected militant was killed when he engaged US personnel in combat, the White House said.

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Commandos in hand-to-hand combat during IS raid

The Islamic State flag. Credit: Reuters

US commandos engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Islamic State fighters during a raid that saw a suspected commander of the militant group killed, according to officials.

New details have been disclosed about the raid, which was ordered by President Barack Obama and had been planned for several weeks.

Delta Force commandos used UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and V22-2 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to punch deep into eastern Syria from Iraq.

Abu Sayyaf, the suspected IS senior figure targeted in the attack, was described as being heavily involved in the group's black-market sales of oil and gas to raise funds.

The mission was the first known US special forces mission inside Syria since a failed mission last year to rescue a number of hostages held by Islamic State in the north of the country.

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