Islamic State fighters in an ISIS propaganda video. Photo / Supplied
The Islamic State (IS) terror group has announced its leader has been shot dead in battle – the second IS commander killed this year alone.
The revelation was made by a spokesman via the group’s media affiliate al-Furqan on Wednesday.
“I announce and mourn for the Islamic State and the fighters of almighty Islamic State, [the absence] of the Amir of believers and the Calipha of the Muslims Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi… he was killed while struggling against the enemies of God,” spokesman Abu Omar al-Muhajer said in the audio message.
Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was appointed as leader in March this year.
His ascension came after the death of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in Syria, which was announced by US President Joe Biden earlier this year.
IS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was also killed in 2019 by US forces.
It is understood the deceased leader died in October, with the announcement only being made public now.
“[Islamic State] remains a threat to the region,” the US Central Command said in response to the news, according to the Associated Press.
“Centcom and our partners remain focused on the enduring defeat of [IS].”
IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, and then in Syria in 2019. However, the group has recently stepped up attempts to carry out attacks in both nations.
Meanwhile, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi has already been confirmed as the terror group’s new leader.
“He is one of the veteran warriors and one of the loyal sons of the Islamic State,” al-Muhajer said.
Earlier this year, gruesome details emerged regarding the death of former leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, with Joe Biden slamming the IS leader’s decision to blow up his own compound after it was surrounded by American troops as “cowardly”.
He was among 13 people – including four children – who died after US commandos surrounded the home in Atmeh in northwest Syria.
The team called on everyone to exit the building, and a couple and their children living on the first level emerged and were taken to safety.
Moments later, the top floor erupted with an explosion, tearing off half of the structure but leaving the level below intact.
US forces began moving in, but a couple on the second floor barricaded themselves in their residence and began firing on them.
When the dust settled, the leader of Islamic State was dead, but he had taken 12 others down with him.
– with Rohan Smith