ISIS leader Baghdadi reportedly killed in Russian airstrike

The Russian army has said it hit leaders of the so-called Islamic State terrorist group in an airstrike in Syria last month and was seeking to verify whether IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been killed.


In a statement, the army said Sukhoi warplanes carried out a 10-minute night-time strike on 28 May at a location near Raqa, where IS leaders had gathered to plan a pullout by militants from the group's stronghold.

"Senior commanders of the military groups of the so-called IS military council, 30 mid-ranking field commanders and up to 300 militants who provided security for them were eliminated," it said.

"According to information which is being checked through various channels, the leader of ISIL Ibrahim Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi was also present at the meeting and was eliminated by the strike," it said.

ISIL is an alternative acronym for IS, also known as ISIS and Daesh.

The US has been informed about the attack, the statement added.

However, a spokesman for the US-led coalition said they could not confirm Baghdadi's death.
 [rte.ie]
16/6/17