ISIS leader Killed?

[JW-Ind]

Russia's military says may have killed IS leader Baghdadi

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-baghdadi-idUSKBN1970O2

 

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Friday it was checking information that a Russian air strike near the Syrian city of Raqqa may have killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in late May.

 

The air strike was launched after the Russian forces in Syria received intelligence that a meeting of Islamic State leaders was being planned, the ministry said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.

 

"On May 28, after drones were used to confirm the information on the place and time of the meeting of IS leaders, between 00:35 and 00:45, Russian air forces launched a strike on the command point where the leaders were located," the statement said.

 

"According to the information which is now being checked via various channels, also present at the meeting was Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was eliminated as a result of the strike," the ministry said.

 

The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State said it could not confirm the Russian report that Baghdadi may have been killed.

[JW-Ind]

Top U.S. general: No evidence that Islamic State leader is still alive

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/11/is-isis-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-alive-240409

 

The top American commander in the fight against the Islamic State said Tuesday that the elusive leader of the terrorist group, who has been hunted for years, may finally appear to be, well, no longer alive. 

 

Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend didn't go so far as to say that he believes Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead, but he did acknowledge in a briefing with Pentagon reporters that he has not seen evidence that he is still around.

 

"I really don't know. ... I don't have reason to believe that he's alive. I don't have proof of life," Townsend said — the furthest U.S. officials have gone in the wake of repeated reports that the terrorist leader has been taken out.