ISIS confirms killing of second in command during U.S. airstrike
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) confirmed the death of a senior ISIS commander and top aide to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Tuesday, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali, also known as Abu Muslim al-Turkomani, Hajji Mutazz and Abu Mutaz al-Qurashi, a former colonel in Saddam Hussein's intelligence directorate, was killed in a targeted airstrike on August 18 in Mosul, U.S. officials previously said. Pictures circulating on social media purportedly showed his body.
"America is rejoicing over the killing of Abu Mutaz al-Qurashi and considers this a great victory," Abu Mohamed al-Adnani, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria group's spokesman said in an audio recording posted on jihadist websites, AFP reports.
AFP reports that Adnani did not say in what circumstances al-Hayali died.
NSC spokesperson Ned Price confirmed al-Hayali's death in a statement in August.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria had not commented on the reports until now.