A news agency
linked to the Islamic State, Amaq, claimed that its elite military commander
Abu Omar al-Shishani, has been killed.
The 30-year-old better known as Omar the Chechen, reportedly died in
combat near the Iraqi city of Shirqat, 100km from the ISIS stronghold of Mosul.
The Pentagon is verifying whether al-Shishani died in a US
drone strike carried out earlier this month, officials told CNN. Washington
previously boasted that it took out al-Shishani, who has a $5 million bounty on
his head, in Syria in March, only to backtrack when Islamic State said he
survived his injuries.
Al-Shishani was born into a mixed Georgian-Chechen family, and served in a spec
ops unit in the Georgian army, before volunteering to join Islamic State three
years ago. He was reportedly consulted by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on
key military movements, as the Islamist group expanded its reach, earning the
the title 'minister of war.'Labels: Abu Omar al-Shishani killed, Iraq, ISIS announces the killing of its 'minister of war' Abu Omar al-Shishani in Mosul, ISIS minister of war killed
