Syria: ISIS terrorist group confirms al-Baghdadi’s death and names his successor Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi
The Islamic State on Thursday confirmed the death of its founder and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and announced a successor. The propaganda arm of ISIS also confirmed the death of another top ISIS official, its former spokesman.
In an audio message released through its central media operation, the group’s new spokesman announced that Baghdadi’s successor is a man named Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi. He is a figure largely unknown outside of ISIS circles and is hailed in the message as “emir of the believers” and “caliph” of the group’s alleged caliphate.
In the announcement, both Baghdadi and former ISIS spokesman Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir were praised as “martyrs.”
The ISIS announcement came four days after President Trump told a nationally televised news conference that U.S. forces brought “the world’s No. 1 terrorist leader to justice.”