Iraq Report: Islamic State's Second In Command And Acting Leader Killed In U.S. Led Air Strike

Reuters: Iraq defense ministry says Islamic State's second in command killed

Iraq's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday the second most senior member of Islamic State had been killed in a coalition air strike on a mosque where he was meeting with other militants in the north of the country.

"Based on accurate intelligence, an air strike by the coalition forces targeted the second in command of IS, Abu Alaa al-Afari," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Abu Alaa al-Afari, whose real name is Abdul Rahman Mustafa Mohammed, is an ethnic Turkmen from the town of Tel Afar in northwestern Iraq, and is thought to be second in command of Islamic State after self-proclaimed caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The Pentagon said it was aware of the reports but could not confirm them.

WNU Editor: If true .... this is a significant setback for the Islamic State. Abu Alaa al-Afari has been acting leader of the organization since its current leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was wounded in an air strike a few months ago.

More News On Reports That The Islamic State's Second In Command And Acting Leader Killed In U.S. Led Air Strike

Islamic State Second-in-Command Killed in Airstrike, Iraq Says -- WSJ
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Islamic State 'acting leader' killed by US-led strike, claims Iraqi government -- The Telegraph
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