Islamic State announces death of its leader in Idlib
The terrorist militia "Islamic State" has announced the death of its leader. Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi was killed in "direct fighting" with al-Qaeda affiliate HTS in Idlib.
The Islamic State has announced the death of its leader. Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi was killed in "direct fighting" with al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the Syrian province of Idlib, according to an audio message published online by the same organization. No more information was given.
Fourth ISIS leader
Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi was the fourth leader of ISIS since its inception. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared on 30 April that the militia chief had been “neutralized” during a Turkish secret service operation in Syria. This probably meant the killing of Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi. In the ISIS audio message, however, Erdoğan's claim was now described as a "lie".
Abi Hafsan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi was appointed as the successor to the killed leader and fifth ISIS leader.
ISIS founder killed by US and SDF
Three ISIS leaders had previously been killed. ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a joint US-Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) operation near a Turkish military base in northern Idlib in 2019. His successor, Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi, was killed in February 2022 during a US military operation in an area between the village of Atmeh near the Turkish border and the village of Dêr Belût (Deir Balut) in occupied Afrin-Cindirês.
His successor, Abu Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, was killed in November 2022 by the so-called Syrian opposition in Daraa.
Sleeper cells remain active
In 2014, ISIS overran large parts of Iraq and Syria and installed a reign of terror. The jihadist militia proclaimed a “caliphate” across national borders, the “capital” of which was Raqqa.
In August 2014, ISIS committed genocide and femicide in Shengal, the main Yazidi settlement area in north-west Iraq. More than 10,000 people were murdered, 7,000 women and children were abducted and 400,000 Yazidis were driven from their homes.
In 2017, ISIS territorial rule in Iraq and two years later in Syria was crushed. However, sleeper cells continue to carry out attacks in both countries.
