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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has claimed to have confirmed information that indicates the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead. Russia's Defense Ministry said in mid-June that it may have killed Baghdadi in an airstrike in late May:
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told Reuters on Tuesday that it had "confirmed information" that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed.
The report came just days after the Iraqi army recaptured the last sectors of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, which Baghdadi's forces overran almost exactly three years ago.
Russia's Defence Ministry said in June that it might have killed Baghdadi when one of its air strikes hit a gathering of Islamic State commanders on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Raqqa. But Washington said it could not corroborate the death and Western and Iraqi officials have been skeptical.
Reuters could not independently verify Baghdadi's death.
A top U.S. general sees no evidence that Baghdadi is alive:
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.
Reuters notes that Baghdadi "has frequently been reported killed or wounded" since 2014.
(Score: 2) by zocalo on Wednesday July 12 2017, @10:22AM
The Syrian Observatory does appear to have access to some good sources though and, even though their "confirmed information" appears to be entirely verbal from senior Daesh members, they may well be correct in the claim. Still, without some other corroboration from an alternative source or a statement from Daesh themselves, it's impossible to be sure - and even then you can't really rule out the possibility that he realised it's just a matter of time before Daesh is defeated and decided to cut and run.
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!