A huge step in the war against terror occurred on Friday, March 25. ISIS’s finance master and second-in-command, Haji Imam, was recently was killed during a raid. In addition to that, another top leader, Omar al-Shishani, was killed as well. Attacking its leadership may be the very thing America needs to defeat this horrible terrorist group.

The U.S. is working to systematically remove people in ISIS’s cabinet, an important factor in the destruction of ISIS. Haji was expected to become the next leader of ISIS if the current leader was killed or incapacitated. The effect of his death is monumental, as the ability to buy and pay fighters and to hire recruits will be damaged. 

Defense Secretary Ash Carter says, “We’ve taken out the leader who oversees the funding for ISIL’s operations, hurting their ability to pay fighters and hire recruits.”

Although the death of Haji was fundamental in the fight to defeating ISIS, it is crucial to acknowledge that fight is far from over and the end is still very far in the future. Some say that Haji refused to surrender to the U.S. military and that resulted in his death. Haji was very valuable, as had a $7 million bounty, second to only ISIS’s leader. The mission was completed very successfully.

There have been no connection between the raid in Syria and the terrorist attacks in Brussels, but there has been speculation. The two events occurred very closely to each other, and some believe independent people joined together in response to the raid. Obviously, people will feel threatened and respond to the attacks, but the goal is to destroy and eliminate all of the factors to make the world a safer place.

Although two of the most brutal leaders of ISIS have been taken out, there is still much more to do. The war on terror is far from over; we’ve won a couple battles but must keep fighting to win more.