A U.S. airstrike in northwest Syria has killed a senior al-Qaeda leader on Friday, the U.S. Central Command announced in a release. U.S. Army Maj. John Rigsbee, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said Abdul Hamid al-Matar was killed in the vicinity of Suluk in northwest Syria. The strike was conducted using an MQ-9 aircraft—an armed, remotely piloted aircraft. There are “no indications of civilian casualties as a result of the strike.” “Al-Qaeda continues to present a threat to America and our allies. Al-Qaeda uses Syria as a safe haven to rebuild, coordinate with external affiliates, and plan external operations. Al-Qaeda also uses Syria as a base for threats reaching into Syria, Iraq, and beyond,” he said in a statement. “The removal of this al-Qaeda senior leader will disrupt the terrorist organization’s ability to further plot and carry out global attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians,” he added. “The U.S. will …