This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-dead-latest-news-isis-russian-airstrike-islamic-state-a7802796.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead: 'Highly likely' Isis leader killed in airstrike, Russian foreign ministry claims | Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead: 'Highly likely' Isis leader killed in airstrike, Russian foreign ministry claims |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russia's Foreign Ministry has said there is a high degree of certainty that Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead. | Russia's Foreign Ministry has said there is a high degree of certainty that Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead. |
| A new statement carried by RIA news agency on Thursday doubled down on Moscow's claim last week that its forces may have killed the secretive Islamist leader. | |
| Baghdadi is believed to be in hiding in the region around the Syria-Iraq border. According to the Russian foreign ministry, the strike in which he was allegedly killed occurred at the end of May. | |
| The Russian authorities have not produced any proof since the initial claim was made. Washington DC said it could not corroborate the death and Western and Iraqi officials have been sceptical. | |
| "His death has been reported so often that you have to be cautious till a formal [Isis] statement comes," a European security official speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters. | |
| On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry appeared to backtrack on the initial claim, saying Baghdadi's death "could not be verified". | On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry appeared to backtrack on the initial claim, saying Baghdadi's death "could not be verified". |
| However, if the report does prove to be true, it would be a huge blow to the extremist organisation, which is rapidly losing territory across both Syria and Iraq. | |
| The US has also claimed that both Isis' grand mufti, or preacher, Turki Binali, and the head of its propaganda wing, Amaq Rayaan Mashal, have been killed in recent strikes. | |
| Baghdadi gained international prominence when he declared the creation of Isis' so-called "caliphate" from Mosul's grand mosque in the summer of 2014. He has not made a public appearance since. | |
| On Wednesday night the 12th century al-Nuri mosque was blown up by militants wishing to deprive US-backed Iraqi coalition forces of claiming victory from the same spot the caliphate was created. | |
| There are believed to be fewer than 300 militants left in the city, although the battle to oust Isis from its de facto capital of Raqqa in Syria has only just begun. | |
| More follows… | More follows… |