Coalition airstrike killed high-ranking al-Qaeda operative

According to military officials, an airstrike conducted by coalition forces killed a group of terrorists including Abdul Mohsen Adballah Ibrahim al Charekh, aka Sanafi al-Nasr, a Saudi national and the highest-ranking leader of the network of veteran al-Qaeda operatives.

Al-Nasr was part of a group of operatives known as the "Khorasan Group." 

"The United States will not relent in its mission to degrade, disrupt and destroy al-Qaeda and its remnants," U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said. "This operation deals a significant blow to the Khorasan Group's plans to attack the United States and our allies, and once again proves that those who seek to do us harm are not beyond our reach."

Al-Nasr was a long-time jihadist experienced in funneling money and fighters for al-Qaeda. He moved funds from donors in the Gulf region into Iraq and then to al-Qaeda leaders from Pakistan to Syria. He also organized and maintained routes for new recruits to travel from Pakistan to Syria through Turkey in addition to helping al-Qaeda's external operations in the West.

Al-Nasr previously had worked for al-Qaeda's Iran-based facilitation network. In 2012 he took charge of al-Qaeda's core finances before relocating to Syria in 2013. Al-Nasr is the fifth senior Khorasan Group leader killed in the last four months.