US-led coalition 'detains' senior Daesh leader in northern Syria raid

The US-led coalition forces have detained a senior Daesh leader during an early morning operation in northern Syria, a coalition statement said.

"The detained individual was assessed to be an experienced bomb maker and facilitator who became one of the group's top leaders in Syria," it said on Thursday.

The coalition did not specify in what part of the Syria raid took place but it added no civilians were harmed nor any damage received to coalition aircraft or assets.

Earlier on Wednesday, a Turkish-backed opposition group told the Reuters news agency the US-led coalition carried out an early-morning helicopter landing operation in a part of northern Syria controlled by the group, in what it said was the first raid of its kind in the area.

"Till now the circumstances are unclear," Major Youssef Hamoud, a spokesperson for Syrian National Army (SNA) said. 

READ MORE: Daesh names new leader, confirms predecessor 'killed in recent days'

First US helicopter landing in opposition areas

Youssef said the operation, which has since ended, took place near the village of Al Humaira, just a few kilometres from the Turkish border, and that US-made Chinook and Blackhawk helicopters were involved.

"This is the first (US) helicopter landing operation to happen" in areas under the SNA's control, he said.

The SNA includes groups that fought against Syrian regime forces during the country's 11-year civil war. It is a rival of other armed groups such as Daesh and Al Qaeda-backed groups.

A source in touch with the opposition forces in the area said clashes erupted during the operation.

US-led forces have in the past carried out helicopter landing operations and drone strikes in areas of northern Syria controlled by US-backed so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and to the west in Idlib where militants formerly linked to Al Qaeda hold sway.

SDF's backbone is YPG — the Syrian branch of the internationally recognised terrorist group the PKK.

United States special forces in February undertook a helicopter landing operation to the west in Syria's Idlib province controlled by Hayat Tahrir al Sham that led to the killing of Daesh leader Abu Ibrahim Al Hashemi Al Quraishi.

READ MORE: Türkiye getting ready to rid northern Syria of terror elements: Erdogan