ISIS acting-leader ‘killed’ in air strike

The former physics teacher who became the world’s most wanted man was killed inside a mosque in Tal Afar, northern Iraq, the Iraqi ministry of defence has said.

It has been reported that he was killed during a meeting with dozens of other miliants. A video was released by the Iraqi military that purports to show the strike that killed Afri.

The video caption states in Arabic: “Based on an accurate intelligence information, the second man in [ISIS] terrorist gang Abu Alaa al-Afri and the chief justice in Al-Jazeerah and Badeyah Akram Qurbash, who’s nickname is Mulla Mayser, and big number of the criminal gangs, was hit by an air strike from the international coalition forces. All were attending a meeting in Al-Shuhadaa (martyrs) mosque in Al-Al-Ayadheyah in Tel Afar province.”

Just last week al Afri gave a speech at the same mosque in Mosul where the leader of Islamic State al Baghdadi made the declaration of a caliphate.

Al Baghdadi has been reported by the Guardian newspaper earlier this month to have been incapacitated with spinal injuries after an air strike.

In his speech he had said “the coming days are difficult”, but made no reference to the supposed crippling injury suffered by al Baghdadi.

Intelligence analysts at the Soufan Group said last week: “Al-Afri’s speech appeared to be aimed at calming supporters whose fortunes have turned since the heady days of last summer.”

It was reported today that the United States and its allies has conducted 16 air-strikes since early on Tuesday that had targetted militants with the Islamic State group across Syria and Iraq.