U.S. ‘Really Sure’ Drone Strike Hit ‘Jihadi John’

As the militant who sadistically murdered Western aid workers and journalists on camera, Mohammed Emwazi became a top target for USA and British intelligence agencies, even though he is thought to have played no military role within Islamic State.

This image made from militant video, which has been verified by SITE Intel Group and is consistent with other AP reporting, shows Mohammed Emwazi, known as “Jihadi John”, holding a knife.

Another official speaking to ABC News described the air strike that as a “flawless” and “clean hit” that “evaporated” Emwazi without killing civilians.

A U.S. official told the Associated Press a drone had been used to carry out the attack on a vehicle which was believed to be carrying Emwazi. If this strike was successful – and we still await confirmation of that – it will be a strike at the heart of ISIS (Islamic State militants group).

The Pentagon said the air strike took place in Raqa.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest says he can not confirm whether the strike killed the militant known as “Jihadi John”.

In Syria, troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad backed by Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and Russian airstrikes broke a two-year siege on the Kweiris military base in Aleppo province imposed by Islamic State militants.

Emwazi participated in gruesome videos showing the killings of American and British hostages.

“His death does not bring Jim back”, the Foleys said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said while on a visit to Tunis on November 13 that the IS’s “days are numbered”.

The films included blood-curdling threats against Western nationals from Emwazi, whose English accent earned him the nickname Jihadi John. Experts and others later confirmed the identification.

Emwazi, a London computer programmer, was born in Kuwait to a stateless family of Iraqi origin.

Downing Street and UK Ministry of Defence sources were marginally less certain in their response to the reports of his death than U.S. sources, but added there was a “high degree of certainty that he has been killed”.

Officials said Britain’s intelligence community had Emwazi on its list of potential terror suspects for years but was unable to prevent him from traveling to Syria.

Emwazi is believed to be responsible for the deaths of several Isil hostages, including Britons Alan Henning and David Haines.