One of the leaders of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) believed to be the likely successor of the group's former leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has also been killed.
President Donald Trump disclosed this on Tuesday when he announced that the person likely to be first in line to replace Islamic State’s slain leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has also been “terminated.”
Trump made this known via his verified Twitter handle. His tweet read
“Just confirmed that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s number one replacement has been terminated by American troops. Most likely would have taken the top spot – Now he is also Dead!”
He, however, did not identify the person or give more details on how he was killed.
On Monday reports had emerged that a feared former officer of Saddam Hussein, Abdullah Qardash, had been appointed as the new leader of ISIS. He was said to have been swiftly appointed following the death of the group's top boss.
Qardash, sometimes spelt Karshesh, is said to be a former soldier of Saddam Hussein’s brutal army, and was appointed as leader shortly after news broke of the US military’s intervention. It is however unclear whether Trump was referring to Qardash.
