BREAKING: ISIS Confirms Death Of Leader, Al-Hashmi al-Qurayshi, Names Successor

ISIS has acknowledged the death of its leader, Abu al-Hasan al-Hashmi al- Qurayshi announced his successor.

The terrorist group said on Wednesday that its leader was killed while “struggling with the enemies of God”.

The group’s media affiliate al-Furqan published an audio message by an ISIS spokesman announcing the death of its leader who was appointed in March, CNN reports.

ISIS also confirmed Abu al-Hasan al-Hashmi al- Qurayshi’s successor on Wednesday.

“I announce and mourn for the Islamic state and the fighters of almighty Islamic state, (the absence) of the Amir of believers and the Calipha of the Muslims Abu al-Hasan al-Hashmi al- Qurayshi … he was killed while struggling against the enemies’ of God,” spokesman Abu Omar al-Muhajer said in the message released Wednesday.

ISIS did not state where its leader was killed and who carried out the killing.

The group announced his successor, who goes by Abu al-Husain al-Husaini al-Quraishi. Little is known about him, but the group described him as an “old fighter” without mentioning any further details.

The deceased leader was appointed by ISIS in March 2022 after US President Joe Biden announced the death of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in a military operation in the northwest of Syria.

An audio message posted online had said Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi was now “caliph”, without providing any further details about his identity.

But US said the Iraqi jihadist blew himself up, killing his family, during a special forces raid on his hideout in north-western Syria on 3 February.