Update (01 May 2023): leader of the Islamic State (successor to successor to successor to al-Baghdadi) reportedly killed by Turkish forces in Syria, new successor not yet named

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

And in case you were wondering...

 

Biden: US raid in Syria killed top Islamic State leader | AP News

APNEWS.COM

---

ATMEH, Syria (AP) — A U.S. special forces raid in northwestern Syria early Thursday killed the top leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, President Joe Biden said. “Thanks to the skill and bravery of our Armed Forces, we have taken off the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of ISIS,” Biden said in a statement.

 

Quote

First responders at the scene reported 13 people were killed, including six children and four women.

 

 

[Brick]

Reads about ISIS leader getting killed: Yay!

 

Reads about the other deaths: Oh...for fuck's sake... 

[PaladinSolo]

10 minutes ago, Brick said:

Reads about ISIS leader getting killed: Yay!

 

Reads about the other deaths: Oh...for fuck's sake... 

Hard to say what happened, pentagon says a fighter detonated an explosive and was the cause of the civilian deaths, which they clearly attempted to avoid by spending 45 minutes with megaphones telling people to leave the area before the fighting started.  We didn't just roll up and drone a bunch of people for once, and seems unlikely an assault team would use explosives outside of breaching charges otherwise why not just drone em.

[DarkStar189]

As someone who knows very little about ISIS, does killing the leader actually amount to much? In their line of work, I just figured they have a bunch of people on stand by ready to take one anothers place. 

[CayceG]

 

"You mean to tell me you lost another helicopter?"

[Keyser_Soze]

Now the United States can breathe a sigh of relief.

[Mr.Vic20]

In terms of weddings, how much collateral Damage was there? 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

26 minutes ago, DarkStar189 said:

As someone who knows very little about ISIS, does killing the leader actually amount to much? In their line of work, I just figured they have a bunch of people on stand by ready to take one anothers place. 

 

It'll certainly cause some disruption at least initially.

[SuperSpreader]

39 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

In terms of weddings, how much collateral Damage was there? 

 

3 Baracks and 2 Dubyas

[AlwaysDyingX]

9 hours ago, Brick said:

Reads about ISIS leader getting killed: Yay!

 

Reads about the other deaths: Oh...for fuck's sake... 

 

 

Unfortunately, al-Qurayshi ultimately detonated a blast, killing himself and several others, including his wife and children. Officials said this was the same terrorist tactic of his predecessor, al-Baghdadi, taking his own life and his own family rather than face justice or stand and fight on his own.

In this case, the blast was so large on the third floor that it blew bodies outside of the house and into the surrounding areas.
 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

The new guy/target has been chosen:

 

Islamic State names new leader, confirming US raid killed predecessor | Islamic State | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

---

Audio message names Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi as new leader in first admission of former head’s death

 

Quote

 

Islamic State has named a new leader after confirming that its previous head was killed by the US in north-western Syria over a month ago.

 

In an audio message released on Thursday, an IS spokesman, Abu Omar al-Muhajer, confirmed the death of the group’s leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, as well as that of its former spokesman, Abu Hamza al-Qurayshi, in the US raid.

Muhajer said IS had named a successor, identifying him as Abu Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi and saying the late IS chief had chosen him.

 

 

[SuperSpreader]

Leader hot potato.

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

On 3/11/2022 at 10:15 AM, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

The new guy/target has been chosen:

 

Islamic State names new leader, confirming US raid killed predecessor | Islamic State | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

---

Audio message names Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi as new leader in first admission of former head’s death

 

 

The "old" new guy/target has been killed.  The "new" new guy/target has been chosen:

 

IS announces leader's death and names replacement

WWW.BBC.COM

---

The jihadist group says Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi has been killed but gives no details.

 

Quote

 

The jihadist group Islamic State (IS) has announced the death of its leader, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi.

 

An audio message from the group's spokesman said he was killed while fighting what he called "the enemies of God", but he gave no further details.

 

The US said he was killed in an operation by the Free Syrian Army - a rebel group - in southern Syria.

 

He became leader in March, after his predecessor blew himself up during a raid by US forces in north-east Syria.

 

The spokesman named his replacement as Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi - another apparent nom-de-guerre.

 

 

[Uaarkson]

Makes you wonder why they even bother announcing who these guys are.

[SuperSpreader]

They should just make fake targets, oh, you have to take out Al Wizard of Oz 

[Kal-El814]

6 hours ago, Uaarkson said:

Makes you wonder why they even bother announcing who these guys are.

 

LinkedIn clout

[Fizzzzle]

6 hours ago, Uaarkson said:

Makes you wonder why they even bother announcing who these guys are.

Probably because if they don't, the nebulous nature of their organisation would immediately lead to infighting. They have to be publicly clear about who the leader is to maintain any semblance of structure.

 

That makes you wonder why anyone would WANT to be the leader, as it's basically a death sentence. I know these wackos actually believe the shit they say, but you would think self preservation would kick in at some point.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

10 hours ago, Fizzzzle said:

Probably because if they don't, the nebulous nature of their organisation would immediately lead to infighting. They have to be publicly clear about who the leader is to maintain any semblance of structure.

 

That makes you wonder why anyone would WANT to be the leader, as it's basically a death sentence. I know these wackos actually believe the shit they say, but you would think self preservation would kick in at some point.

are we talking about being the UKPM or something else here...?

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Guess who's now (supposedly) dead as well?

 

Suspected Islamic State chief Qurayshi killed in Syria, Turkey says

WWW.BBC.COM

---

Abu Hussein al-Qurayshi was killed by Turkish forces on Saturday, Turkey's President Erdogan says.

 

Quote

 

Turkish forces have killed the suspected leader of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced.

 

Abu Hussein al-Qurayshi is said to have taken over the group after his predecessor was killed last autumn.

 

Mr Erdogan told broadcaster TRT Turk the IS leader was "neutralised" in a Turkish MIT intelligence agency operation on Saturday.

 

IS has so far made no comment on the reported operation.

 

The BBC has been unable to independently verify President Erdogan's claim.

 

The MIT intelligence agency had been following Qurayshi for a "long time", Mr Erdogan said.

 

"We will continue our struggle with terrorist organisations without any discrimination," he added, providing no further details.

 

Syrian sources quoted by Reuters news agency said the operation took place in the northern town of Jandaris, close to the Turkish border.

 

 

[LazyPiranha]

Not to be all stupid American over here but…

 

Is ISIL just not as active as they used to be or has media interest in them just moved on to something else?  I feel like a few years ago they’re all you ever heard about every day.  

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

25 minutes ago, LazyPiranha said:

Not to be all stupid American over here but…

 

Is ISIL just not as active as they used to be or has media interest in them just moved on to something else?  I feel like a few years ago they’re all you ever heard about every day.  

 

ISIL is VERY much still executing insurgent activities in both Syria and Iraq.  ISW routinely provides updates in ISIL operations:

 

 

Salafi-Jihadi Movement Weekly Update, April 27, 2023 | Institute for the Study of War

WWW.UNDERSTANDINGWAR.ORG

---

Iraq and Syria. ISIS activity in Syria increased in the first quarter of 2023, in contrast with statements by the commander of the US-led counter-ISIS coalition, who that ISIS attacks in Iraq and Syria had “decreased dramatically.”[1] ISIS attacks inc

 

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

On 5/1/2023 at 10:42 AM, LazyPiranha said:

Not to be all stupid American over here but…

 

Is ISIL just not as active as they used to be or has media interest in them just moved on to something else?  I feel like a few years ago they’re all you ever heard about every day.  

 

Belgian police arrest seven people over terror attack plot | Belgium | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

---

Prosecutors said all suspects belong to group of strong supporters of Islamic State

 

Quote

 

Belgian police have arrested seven people suspected of supporting Islamic State (IS) and plotting a terrorist attack, prosecutors have said.

 

Almost all the suspects are ethnic Chechens, and three possess Belgian nationality, prosecutors said in a statement.

 

They said: “The exact target of the planned attack has not yet been determined.”

 

Police raided nine addresses in several towns in western Belgium in an operation led by an investigating judge specialising in terrorism cases. The judge will decide “at a later stage” if there is sufficient evidence to charge the suspects, the statement said.

 

“Possible charges are attempted terrorist assassination, participation in the activities of a terrorist group and the preparation of a terrorist attack,” it said.

 

Prosecutors added that all seven “are suspected of preparing a terrorist attack in Belgium”.

 

They all “belong to a group of strong supporters of the IS”.