Russian Federation on Wednesday claimed that it was responsible for successfully targeting the Islamic State group’s chief spokesman in a Tuesday airstrike, trumping the U.S.in taking credit for a high-profile kill during the war against the extremist network.
Advertisement
According to a statement from ISIS’ Amaq news agency, al-Adnani died while inspecting military operations in the area of Aleppo, Syria.
Al-Adnani was viewed by the Pentagon as a high value target and possibly the most likely successor to lead the Islamic State militant group in the event its current chief, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed.
Regardless of who was responsible, analysts say his death will be a major bow to ISIL, which has suffered a series of setbacks this year including territorial losses in Syria and Iraq and the killings of other top figures.
The coalition targeted Adnani in a strike yesterday near Al Bab, Syria, Cook told reporters at a Pentagon press briefing.
“He has coordinated the movement of ISIL fighters, directly encouraged lone-wolf attacks on civilians and members of the military, and actively recruited new ISIL members”, Cook said in a statement.
On March 25, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter announced that Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, believed to be number two in the IS leadership, had been “eliminated” during a US operation in Syria.
Ad-nani has been with ISIS since its beginnings and was close to Baghdadi.
Western officials are hoping that the hit will impair the ability of ISIS to carry out foreign attacks.
“From the start, Russia, as you know, has spent most of its time, its military campaign supporting and propping up the Assad regime”, Cook added of Syrian President Bashar Hafez al-Assad.
“It’s a joke” another defense official said bluntly. He stopped short of confirming Adnani’s death, however.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest also said he was “not aware of any facts” to back Russia’s account.
Al-Adnani persistently called for attacks against the West.
Russian Federation says Adnani died on Tuesday in a Su-34 bomber raid on the village of Umm Hawsh.
Today Abu Sulayman al Muhajir, a senior al Qaeda cleric, tweeted: “Adnani was just a mouthpiece of a sinister group of thugs, he was a passionate advocator of eradicating Muslims in the name of Jihad”.
Known for ruthless tactics and his thick red beard, Shishani, whose Georgian name was Tarkhan Batirashvili, was one of the most sought IS leaders in Syria, described by U.S. officials who put a $5-million bounty on his head as the group’s de facto defence minister.
Advertisement
It was Al Adnani who, in a June 2014 audio recording, declared ISIL’s establishment of a “caliphate” straddling Syria and Iraq, and Al Baghdadi as the “leader of Muslims everywhere”.
