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Daesh Names Baghdadi Successor, Threatens US

Daesh Names Baghdadi Successor, Threatens US
folder_openMiddle East... access_time4 years ago
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By Staff, Agencies

The Wahhabi Daesh [Arabic acronym for “ISIS” / “ISIL”] terrorist group confirmed the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a statement Thursday and named his replacement as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi.

"We mourn you... commander of the faithful," said Abu Hamza al-Quraishi – presented as the ‘jihadist’ group's new spokesman – in an audio statement.

Baghdadi, who led Daesh since 2014 and was the world's most wanted man, was killed in a US Special Forces raid in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on Sunday.

The group also confirmed the killing in another raid the following day of the group's previous spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir.

The statement said the terrorist group's legislative and consultative body convened after the 48-year-old Iraqi-born militant chief's death.

The group’s seven-minute message regarding the replacement of Baghdadi indicated that the terrorist group’s “shura council convened immediately” after confirming the death of al-Baghdadi and that they have agreed.

Little is known about Hashimi, whose name was seldom mentioned as a possible successor the multiple times that Baghdadi was reported killed in recent years.

Daesh’s spokesman also issued a stark warning to the United States, whose President Donald Trump announced Baghdadi's death in a televised address from the White House.

"He died after running into a dead-end tunnel, whimpering and crying and screaming all the way," Trump said on Sunday, adding that Baghdadi "died like a dog".

In the new audio message, the new Daesh spokesman described Trump as "a crazy old man" and warned the US that the group's supporters would avenge Baghdadi's death.

"Do not rejoice America," he warned, "the new chosen one will make you forget the horror you have beholden... and make the achievements of the Baghdadi days taste sweet".

The spokesman also referred to an earlier call by Baghdadi for the thousands of Daesh militants held in Syrian and Iraqi prisons to be freed.

Observers have warned that the power vacuum and confusion may create an opportunity for Daesh to rebuild and make fresh territorial gains.

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