Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead, claims Radio Iran

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, on of the most wanted terrorist and the chief of Islamic State, is dead, according to Radio Iran. Earlier, Guardian had reported that Baghdadi had suffered life threatening injuries in a US-led coalition air strike in March.

Leader of the #ISIS terrorist group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has died: Radio Iran

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) April 27, 2015

Two officials – a western diplomat and an Iraqi adviser – confirmed the strike took place on March 18 in the al-Baaj a district of Nineveh, close to the Syrian border, The Guardian reported.

“Yes, he was wounded in al-Baaj near the village of Umm al-Rous on 18 March with a group that was with him,” Hisham al-Hashimi, an Iraqi official who advises Iraq on IS, was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

Baghdadi has made a slow recovery since then. He, however, has not resumed day-to-day control of the organisation.

In October 2011, the US State Department had listed Baghdadi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and announced a reward of up to USD 10 million for information leading to his capture or death.

Source:: Indian Express