Islamic State Confirms Death Of Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi, Names New Leader
Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi was an ethnic Turkmen from the Iraqi city of Tal Afar who was a significant figure in the 2014 ethnic cleansing effort against the Yazidi minority.
New Delhi: Islamic State (IS) on Thursday confirmed the death of its leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi and announced the new leader of the terrorist organisation, news agency AFP reported.
However, the name of the new IS leader isn't out yet.
#BREAKING IS names new leader, confirms death of Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi: statement pic.twitter.com/WsqkD4fJob
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 10, 2022
Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi was an ethnic Turkmen from the Iraqi city of Tal Afar who was a significant figure in the 2014 ethnic cleansing effort against the Yazidi minority.
Qurashi was assassinated during a nocturnal aerial assault on his residence in the village of Atme.
Last year, US officials stated they had narrowed down his whereabouts. Qurashi had been residing in the building for 11 months, according to the building's owner, AFP reported.
The raid came just days after IS launched its largest operation in years to free fighters from a massive Kurdish-run prison in Hasakeh.
"The timing of the operation suggests that there was intelligence linking Qurashi to the Ghwayran prison attack. It would not be surprising that the US put pressure on Turkey to relinquish information," Nick Heras, an analyst at the Newlines Institute was quoted by AFP in its report.
Turkey wields considerable influence in northern Syria and has a working relationship with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the jihadist group that controls the majority of the Idlib region.
During the Hasakeh raid, it is believed that a large number of IS detainees escaped. Their following paths and interactions might have provided intelligence chances.
"If Qurashi was planning to record a statement about the recent attacks, perhaps that created an opening," said Aron Lund, a fellow with Century International.
How Did IS Leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi Died?
Qurashi died after he exploded a device to evade arrest, according to the White House and US defence sources, AFP reported.
"He killed himself and his immediate family without fighting, even as we attempted to call for his surrender and offered him a path to survive," the head of US Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie was quoted by AFP in its report.
The visible damage to the three-story house, including scorch scars and a fallen section of the roof, suggests that at least one explosion happened inside.
(With AFP Inputs)
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