The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has confirmed the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a leader of the terrorist group "Islamic State," as reported by Reuters. According to Iraqi media reports, members of the group released a video message on this matter.

Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the death of the Islamic group's leader

In mid-June, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on the death of the leader of the IG. It was said that al-Baghdadi was killed as a result of the air strikes of the Russian Air Force in the suburbs of the Syrian city of Raqqa.

At the end of June, Iranian television distributed images that could be evidence of the death of the IG leader. At the same time, Ali Shirazi, a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, said in an interview that the Baghdadi terrorist was definitely dead, the Turkish Daily Sabah newspaper wrote.

Nevertheless, on July 11, the Pentagon said that it still could not confirm the data of his death. In response to a request from Reuters, The Pentagon's press service reported that it had no evidence of the death of the Islamists' leader. Earlier, the Alsumaria TV channel reported that the Islamists promised to shortly declare the name of the successor of al-Baghdadi.

The commander of the operation of the US Coalition, General Stephen Townsend said, “I really don’t know … I don’t have reason to believe that he’s alive.

I don’t have proof of life.”

Rumors about the death of al-Baghdadi

Earlier, for the dissemination of rumors about the death of the terrorist group's leader, the punishment was imposed in 50 lashes. In early July, the rebels dealt with the imam, who during the prayer mentioned the alleged death of al-Baghdadi. ISIS Preacher Abu Kutaiba, one of the leaders of the jihadists, was burned in the city-fortress of Tal Afar, the Daily Mail reported.

Al-Baghdadi (Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri) became famous after he had declared the creation of an "Islamic Caliphate" in the Middle East in July 2014. The "Islamic State," created by him, became the bloodiest and most influential terrorist group, taking control over significant territories in Syria and Iraq. Since then, the media have repeatedly published information on its liquidation, but it could not be confirmed.

According to the official Iraqi government document, al-Baghdadi was born in Samarra in Iraq in 1971. Apparently, he joined the insurgency that broke out after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, and for some time had been in the US military prison.