The second in command of Islamic State has been killed during a raid in Syria.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Joe Dunford held a press conference at the Pentagon this morning confirming they had killed one of Islamic State’s top commanders Abdul Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, also known as Haji Imam.
Secretary Carter said: “This week the US military has killed several key ISIL terrorists including Haji Iman, ISIL’s senior leader serving as finance minister.
“He is responsible for external affairs and is a well known terrorist.
“The removal of this leader will hamper the organisation’s ability to conduct operations inside and outside of Syria.
“He was responsible for funding for ISIL’s operations, paying fighters and hiring recruits.”
The former Al Qaeda terrorist transferred his allegiance to ISIS following his release from prison in early 2012.
Secretary Carter added: “As I’ve said before, our campaign plan is first and foremost to collapse ISIL’s parent tumor focusing on its powers in Raqqa and Mosul.
“We have repelled their counter attacked and severed the main artery between Syria and northern Iraq. It is now harder for their leaders and forces to travel between Raqqa and Mosul.”
Earlier this month top ISIS commander Omar al-Shishani, also known by his nickname Omar the Chechen, was believed to be killed in a US airstrike.
American officials said Abu Omar al-Shishani, also known as Omar the Chechen, ranked among America’s most wanted militants.
Born in 1986 in Georgia, which was then still part of the Soviet Union, the red-bearded Shishani had a reputation as a top military adviser to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The strike itself involved multiple waves of manned and unmanned aircraft, targeting Shishani near the town of al-Shadadi in Syria, a US official said.
The Pentagon believes Shishani was sent there to bolster Islamic State troops after they suffered a series of setbacks at the hands of US-backed forces from the Syrian Arab Coalition, which captured al-Shadadi from the militants last month.
__________
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2015 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.
