According to Amaq News, Islamic State (ISIS) sleeper cells have assassinated a U.S. officer who worked at Incirlik Airbase in southern Turkey. While not verified, this account has been picking up traction on Middle East news sites and forums. The full Amaq News transcript of the alleged incident, which purportedly happened a few days ago, can be read below. This claim rings hollow but no one will confirm but also not deny it:
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“Adana – Amaq Agency: Sources said to Amaq that a covert unit belonging to the Islamic State managed to assassinate an American officer working at Incirlik Air Base, in the Turkish city of Adana. The sources mentioned that the operation took place in the officer’s home and explained that the delayed announcement of responsibility was in order to ‘ensure the safety of the covert unit which conducted the operation.’ Incirlik Air Base was placed under management of the U.S. Air Force and that of other countries of the International Coalition. From the base, aircraft take off to bomb cities and areas under Islamic State control inside Syria.”
The U.S. State Department is yet to address the claim which cannot be independently verified by Al-Masdar News.
Turkey has allowed the U.S. to conduct air raids on ISIS from its NATO bases since 2015; this appears to be the motive of the alleged assassination. Three U.S. soldiers have previously been killed by ISIS, although during frontline combat: 1: On March 19 2015, 27-year-old Marine Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin was killed by ISIS rocket fire near Makhmour in northern Iraq. 2: On Oct. 22 2015, 39-year-old Army Master Sgt. Josh Wheeler was killed in a raid in northern Iraq that rescued 70 Iraqi hostages taken by ISIS extremists. 3: On May 3 2016, 31-year-old Navy Seal Charles Keating was killed by ISIS gunfire as jihadist forces attempted to capture the Iraqi town of Telskof from the Peshmerga.
Any further developments on this story will be published as soon as they’re available. Have an update on this story or a comment to share? Sound off in the comments below.
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