U.S. can't confirm reports Islamic State leader killed

[anatta]

U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State said Tuesday it could not confirm reports that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been killed in a U.S. airstrike.

Army Col. Chris Garver, the top spokesman for the coalition in Iraq, told USA TODAY he was aware of the reports from the Islamic news agency AlhlulBayt and other sources. Garver said that, if true, al-Baghdadi's death would be welcome news but would not signal the end of the fight against the terrorist group.

AlhlulBayt reported the militant leader was killed Sunday in an airstrike in the Raqqa, Syria, the Islamic State's de facto capital.

Previous reports claiming al-Baghdadi, 44, was killed or wounded have surfaced since he proclaimed himself the caliph, or supreme religious leader, of all Muslims two years ago. Last week an Iraqi TV station claimed he was wounded in an airstrike, a report that was never confirmed.

Similar reports circulated in October 2015 and November 2014
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...reports-islamic-state-leader-killed/85859086/

 

[anatta]

Baghdadi in Mosul claiming the caliphate ( caliph )

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has recently been reported to be in Sirte, Libya (2015)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-v-micallef/al-baghdadi-zeroes-in-on_b_8792394.html

 

[Legion Troll]

Doesn't matter, because according to tsuke, Obama refuses to identify the problem.

 

[anatta]

I dunno..their leadership has been decimated as of late.
For AQ they really don't need a charismatic leader; Zawahiri is one smart Egyptian and his writings are superb.
AQ is content to stay in the shadows

But for ISIS it's more an active jihadist Islamic State, and it needs that face

 

[Legion Troll]

I dunno..their leadership has been decimated as of late. For AQ they really don't need a charismatic leader; Zawahiri is one smart Egyptian and his writings are superb. AQ is content to stay in the shadows But for ISIS it's more an active jihadist Islamic State, and it needs that face

So you think Zawahiri is "smart" and "his writings are superb".

I'll report you again.

 

[Celticguy]

Pretty quick with the hint of tough on muslims

Probably should have waited till they had something real.

 

[Legion Troll]

Pretty quick with the hint of tough on muslims Probably should have waited till they had something real.

Think so?

 

[anatta]

So you think Zawahiri is "smart" and "his writings are superb".

I'll report you again.

the tension is between Zawahiri and Baghdadi for top terrorist (sic), for ex.
AQAP pledged bayat, or an oath of fealty, to Ayman al Zawahiri back in 2011 -but Baghdadi poached them from AQ in 2014.

AQ Core ( Afghanistan/Zawahiri) and Baghdadi really don't like each other. They are rivals..

Baghdadi is mesmerizing in his speech ( watch the one in Mosul), but Zawahiri has much better written composition

 

[Legion Troll]

Keep hanging yourself.

The unmarked cars are outside by now.

Black helicopters are en route.