BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:00 P.M.) – The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) released an official audio statement from their Telegram channel on Thursday, confirming the death of its leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
In the audio, ISIS confirmed the death of not only Al-Baghdadi, but also their spokesperson Abu Hassan Al-Muhajer, who they said was a Saudi national.
Following the confirmation of these deaths, the Islamic State announced their new leader in the audio. The Islamic State said their new leader is Abu Ibrahim Al-Hashimi Al-Qurayshi.
This latest audio statement from the Islamic State served as the official notice that Al-Baghdadi had been killed and Al-Qurayshi is his successor.
Al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. military raid at the town of Barisha in the Idlib countryside earlier this week. Al-Muhajer was killed a day after in a similar raid conducted in the Aleppo countryside.
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