How ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi became a feared preacher of hate
5 years, 2 months ago

How ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi became a feared preacher of hate

CNN  

CNN — A preacher of hate. Baghdadi himself is thought to have authorized the gruesome execution of American journalist James Foley, whose lurid video provoked the Obama White House to take firmer military action against the group. Thus began the world’s war with ISIS, a group that had become an umbrella mechanism for experienced foreign jihadists seeking a new path in the turmoil of Syria; veteran Iraq insurgents, some with Baathist era military experience; and even adventurous and slightly unhinged war-tourists, ensnared by the adrenaline rush of the combat videos so relentlessly pumped out at the public by Baghdadi’s prolific minister for information – the also deceased Abu Mohammed Adnani. Video Ad Feedback ISIS leader may have appeared in first video in 5 years 02:22 - Source: CNN In 2018, as ISIS faced repeated defeats and growing pressure from all sides, the group released an audio recording of Baghdadi, in which he admitted his militants were losing the battle for their self-declared state. The following year, in another apparent attempt to rally the troops, ISIS released a video of Baghdadi, the first time he had been seen since that 2014 speech.

Video Syria Hate Jihadist Iraq Cnn Group Leader Shia Islamic Sunni Isis Sunnis Baghdadi Mosul Samarra  video  group  hate  preacher  bakr  baghdadis  isis  baghdadi  mosul  leader  ibrahim  albaghdadi  feared  abu  later  iraq

History of this topic

Will Syria chaos fuel ISIS comeback?
1 month ago

Will Syria chaos fuel ISIS comeback?

India Today  

"History shows how quickly moments of promise can descend into conflict and violence. From January to June 2024, ISIS has claimed 153 attacks in Iraq and Syria, according to a report by the US Central Command, which has been flagging the persistent threat from the Islamic State. The US and Arab nations fear that an HTS-led coalition might replace Assad's …

A decade after the Islamic State group declared a caliphate, it’s defeated but remains lethal
6 months, 1 week ago

A decade after the Islamic State group declared a caliphate, it’s defeated but remains lethal

Associated Press  

BAGHDAD — A decade after the Islamic State militant group declared its caliphate in large parts of Iraq and Syria, the extremists no longer control any land, have lost many prominent leaders and are mostly out of the world news headlines. “Al-Baghdadi’s sermon — an extension of the extremist ideology of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi — continue to inspire ISIS members …

A decade after the Islamic State group declared a caliphate, it's defeated but remains lethal
6 months, 1 week ago

A decade after the Islamic State group declared a caliphate, it's defeated but remains lethal

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Timeline of events: 20 years since U.S.-led invasion of Iraq
1 year, 9 months ago

Timeline of events: 20 years since U.S.-led invasion of Iraq

Associated Press  

BAGHDAD — It’s been 20 years since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began. April-August 2004: Clashes emerge between U.S.-led coalition forces and followers of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who demands that foreign forces leave Iraq. October 2019-January 2020: With the battle against the Islamic State group mostly ended, Iraqi public dissatisfaction boils over with anti-government protests against rampant corruption, poor …

Islamic State says leader killed during fighting, appoints successor
2 years, 1 month ago

Islamic State says leader killed during fighting, appoints successor

ABC  

Islamic State militant group leader Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Quraishi has been killed in fighting, the group's spokesman announced in an audio message posted on an affiliated Telegram channel. Key points: An IS spokesperson says Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Quraishi was killed while "fighting enemies of God" No details about the new leader Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Quraishi have been given The death …

Islamic State group announces death of leader
2 years, 1 month ago

Islamic State group announces death of leader

Deccan Chronicle  

BEIRUT: The Islamic State jihadist group said Wednesday that its leader Abu Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi has been killed in battle and announced a replacement. Speaking in an audio message, the spokesman identified the group's new leader as Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi. It was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, but sleeper cells of the Sunni …

US kills two top ISIS leaders in airstrike in Syria
2 years, 3 months ago

US kills two top ISIS leaders in airstrike in Syria

CNN  

CNN — US forces killed two top ISIS leaders in an airstrike in northern Syria on Thursday, according to two defense officials, one day after a US raid killed an ISIS smuggler. The airstrike comes after the US military conducted a separate raid in northeast Syria that killed an ISIS weapons smuggler on Wednesday night local time, the Pentagon announced …

US says it has killed ISIL leader in Syria
2 years, 5 months ago

US says it has killed ISIL leader in Syria

Al Jazeera  

The US says the raid outside Jandaris, northwest Syria, killed Maher al-Agal and ‘seriously injured’ one of his associates. The US military says it has killed the leader of ISIL group in Syria in a drone strike outside Jandaris, northwest Syria, with another senior ISIL official “seriously injured”. Maher al-Agal, one of the top five ISIL leaders was killed, said …

ISIL’s new ‘caliph’ may be a bigger threat than his predecessor
2 years, 9 months ago

ISIL’s new ‘caliph’ may be a bigger threat than his predecessor

Al Jazeera  

We need to accept eliminating its leaders with tactical strikes will not bring an end to ISIL or the political violence it perpetrates. Abu Hasan replaces Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, who led the armed group for two years before he was killed in a United States raid in the Idlib province in northern Syria in February. The slain second ISIL …

Profile: Who was Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi?
2 years, 11 months ago

Profile: Who was Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi?

Al Jazeera  

Al-Qurayshi was a shadowy and brutal figure who led ISIL when under intense military pressure from the US and allied forces. Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi led ISIL from the shadows for a little more than two years before he was killed during a raid by US forces on a house in northern Syria. US officials described al-Qurayshi after his death …

Isis leader killed - latest news: Biden says Qurayshi killing is warning to terrorists
2 years, 11 months ago

Isis leader killed - latest news: Biden says Qurayshi killing is warning to terrorists

The Independent  

✕ Close Biden announces Isis leader has been killed For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. …

US officials share details of raid that killed ISIL leader
2 years, 11 months ago

US officials share details of raid that killed ISIL leader

Al Jazeera  

Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi lived in a three-storey building above an ‘unwitting family’, US official says. The ISIL leader killed in a United States raid in Syria lived on the third floor of a compound above an “unwitting family” that was not associated with the group, US officials have said. ‘Hands-on’ leader Later on Thursday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said …

Iraq says it has captured top ranking ISIS finance Islamic State group’s finance chief
3 years, 3 months ago

Iraq says it has captured top ranking ISIS finance Islamic State group’s finance chief

CNN  

Baghdad, Iraq CNN — Iraqi forces captured Sami Jasim, the deputy of former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Iraq’s Prime Minister said in a statement on Monday. “While our heroes focused on securing the elections, their colleagues were conducting a complex external operation to capture Sami Jasim, who was in charge of Daesh finance, and a deputy of Abu Bakr …

The ‘canary caliph’: how Isis leader betrayed his fellow jihadists to US interrogators
3 years, 9 months ago

The ‘canary caliph’: how Isis leader betrayed his fellow jihadists to US interrogators

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Such was his eagerness to inform on other Islamists …

Where IS ruled, pope calls on Christians to forgive, rebuild
3 years, 10 months ago

Where IS ruled, pope calls on Christians to forgive, rebuild

Associated Press  

QARAQOSH, Iraq — Pope Francis urged Iraq’s Christians on Sunday to forgive the injustices against them by Muslim extremists and to rebuild as he visited the wrecked shells of churches and met ecstatic crowds in the community’s historic heartland, which was nearly erased by the Islamic State group’s horrific reign. Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, was at the heart of …

From Saddam’s ouster to brutal Islamic State campaign, a timeline of disaster and displacement for Iraqi Christians
3 years, 10 months ago

From Saddam’s ouster to brutal Islamic State campaign, a timeline of disaster and displacement for Iraqi Christians

Firstpost  

The Vatican for years has voiced concern about the flight of Christians from the Middle East, driven out by war, poverty, persecution and discrimination. Here’s a look at disasters Iraq’s Christians have endured, from Saddam’s ouster to the brutal campaign by Islamic State militants: US INVASION AND RISE OF MILITANCY Christians in Iraq enjoyed protection and near-equal rights with Iraq’s …

ISIS chief once tipped to replace Baghdadi is captured in raid by Iraqi special forces
4 years, 7 months ago

ISIS chief once tipped to replace Baghdadi is captured in raid by Iraqi special forces

Daily Mail  

The Islamic State group erupted from the chaos of Syria and Iraq's conflicts, declaring itself a 'caliphate' after conquering a giant stretch of territory. Here are the key moments in the rise and fall of the Islamic State group: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi - who was also known as Caliph Ibrahim - released a propaganda video in 2014 where he addressed …

Hashd deputy Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis: Iran’s man in Baghdad
5 years ago

Hashd deputy Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis: Iran’s man in Baghdad

Al Jazeera  

Al-Muhandis was deputy leader of Hashd al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary group with close ties to Iran. Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, killed early on Friday in a US air strike in Baghdad, was seen as Tehran’s man in Iraq and a sworn enemy of the United States. The US strike on Baghdad’s international airport also killed Iranian general Qassem …

In final days, Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi masqueraded as shepherd, was reliant on shrinking circle of confidants
5 years, 2 months ago

In final days, Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi masqueraded as shepherd, was reliant on shrinking circle of confidants

Firstpost  

In his last months on the run, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was agitated, fearful of traitors, sometimes disguised as a shepherd, sometimes hiding underground, always dependent on a shrinking circle of confidants. Beirut: In his last months on the run, Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was agitated, fearful of traitors, sometimes disguised as a shepherd, sometimes hiding underground, always …

ISIL confirms death of leader al-Baghdadi, names new chief
5 years, 2 months ago

ISIL confirms death of leader al-Baghdadi, names new chief

Al Jazeera  

Leader killed in US raid replaced by Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, group says, also confirming spokesman’s death. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant armed group has confirmed the death of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, announcing Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi as its new chief. Abu Hamza al-Qurayshi, ISIL’s new spokesman, made the announcement on Thursday in an audio …

Islamic State confirms Baghdadi dead, vows revenge
5 years, 2 months ago

Islamic State confirms Baghdadi dead, vows revenge

The Hindu  

The Islamic State militant group confirmed on October 31 that its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a weekend raid by U.S. forces in northwestern Syria and it vowed revenge against the United States. Baghdadi, an Iraqi jihadist who rose from obscurity to declare himself “caliph” of all Muslims as the leader of Islamic State, died during the swoop …

Islamic State group chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's replacement could surface within weeks, claims top US official
5 years, 2 months ago

Islamic State group chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's replacement could surface within weeks, claims top US official

Firstpost  

The Islamic State group’s leadership has a ‘deep bench’ and a replacement for deceased chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi could surface within weeks, the US government’s top counter-terrorism expert said. Washington: The Islamic State group’s leadership has a “deep bench” and a replacement for deceased chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi could surface within weeks, the US government’s top counter-terrorism expert said on …

Islamic State vows revenge against US for al-Baghdadi's killing
5 years, 2 months ago

Islamic State vows revenge against US for al-Baghdadi's killing

India Today  

Islamic State confirmed on Thursday that its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a weekend raid by US special forces in northwestern Syria, and vowed revenge against the United States. The Iraqi rose from obscurity to lead the ultra-hardline group and declare himself "caliph" of all Muslims, holding sway over huge areas of Iraq and Syria from 2014-2017 before …

Islamic State confirms Baghdadi's death, announces new leader
5 years, 2 months ago

Islamic State confirms Baghdadi's death, announces new leader

India Today  

The Islamic State group declared a new leader Thursday after it confirmed the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi days earlier in a US raid in Syria. In its audio release by the IS central media arm, al-Furqan Foundation, a new spokesman for IS identifies the successor as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi tracing his lineage, like al-Baghdadi, to the …

ISIS Confirms Baghdadi's Death And Names His Successor
5 years, 2 months ago

ISIS Confirms Baghdadi's Death And Names His Successor

NPR  

ISIS Confirms Baghdadi's Death And Names His Successor Enlarge this image toggle caption Defense.gov Defense.gov The Islamic State on Thursday confirmed the death of its founder and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and announced a successor. Media no longer available McKenzie offered fresh details on the operation against Baghdadi and warned that U.S. officials are bracing for "some form of retribution …

Head Of U.S. Central Command Says ISIS Leader Baghdadi Buried At Sea
5 years, 2 months ago

Head Of U.S. Central Command Says ISIS Leader Baghdadi Buried At Sea

NPR  

Head Of U.S. Central Command Says ISIS Leader Baghdadi Buried At Sea Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP The head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Frank McKenzie says the body of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was buried at sea after last weekend's commando raid in Syria in which he detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and …

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead... but Isis will live on. Here’s how
5 years, 2 months ago

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead... but Isis will live on. Here’s how

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy They called him al-shabha, “the …

Analysis | The Islamic State sans Abu Bakr Baghdadi
5 years, 2 months ago

Analysis | The Islamic State sans Abu Bakr Baghdadi

The Hindu  

The death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the founder leader of the Islamic State terrorist group, is a signal moment in the fight against terrorism, at least in West Asia. Born in Iraq’s Samarra into a Salafi family, Baghdadi, whose real name was Ibrahim bin Awwad bin Ibrahim al-Badri, did his primary education in his hometown and higher studies in Baghdad. …

IS leader’s death ushers in new phase for the group
5 years, 2 months ago

IS leader’s death ushers in new phase for the group

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — One of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s last audio messages was an appeal for his followers to do everything in their power to free Islamic State detainees and the women being held in jails and camps in northeastern Syria. With news of the extremist group’s leader’s death, Kurdish security forces worried about the possibility of attacks or rioting have been …

Kurdish Informant Reportedly Led U.S. Military To ISIS Leader Baghdadi
5 years, 2 months ago

Kurdish Informant Reportedly Led U.S. Military To ISIS Leader Baghdadi

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING A Kurdish informant reportedly provided vital information for the U.S. military raid that ended in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of the so-called Islamic State, even sharing the floor plan of his home. Gen. Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, told NBC News on Monday that his intelligence unit was connected …

With Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gone, what next for ISIL?
5 years, 2 months ago

With Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gone, what next for ISIL?

Al Jazeera  

ISIL chief is dead but threat of his group remains, leaders and analysts warn, as speculation over next leader begins. 191027173054546 “But we don’t know yet of how much of ISIL’s inner circle – the Shura – remains, if Abdullah Qardash is still alive, whether there is infighting,” he said. Hasan Haniyeh, an Amman-based analyst, said al-Baghdadi’s death will not …

Trump says al-Baghdadi’s ‘number one replacement’ is dead
5 years, 2 months ago

Trump says al-Baghdadi’s ‘number one replacement’ is dead

Al Jazeera  

Without giving a name, Trump says the individual expected to replace al-Baghdadi as ISIL’s leader has been killed. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the person likely to be first in line to replace the slain leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has also been “terminated”. Under al-Baghdadi’s command, ISIL became one …

World reacts to death of ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
5 years, 2 months ago

World reacts to death of ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Al Jazeera  

Al-Baghdadi reportedly killed himself after running into a dead-end tunnel during a US military raid in northwest Syria. “Saudi Arabia continues its efforts with its allies, especially the United States, in fighting terrorism.” Egypt Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ahmed Hafez, said it was an important step in the efforts to combat terrorism. — Recep Tayyip Erdoğan October 27, 2019 Russia …

Will Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death finally spell the end of the Islamic State? It's wishful thinking
5 years, 2 months ago

Will Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death finally spell the end of the Islamic State? It's wishful thinking

ABC  

So President Trump has his Bin Laden moment. Islamic State's shadowy founder and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead after a US special forces raid on a compound in north-western Syria. Groups loyal to his brand of terror remain active, especially in the Idlib area in Syria near where the US raid on Baghdadi took place. Syrian Kurds struggle to …

With Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gone, what next for ISIL?
5 years, 2 months ago

With Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gone, what next for ISIL?

Al Jazeera  

ISIL chief is dead but threat of his group remains, leaders and analysts warn, as speculation over next leader begins. 191027173054546 “But we don’t know yet of how much of ISIL’s inner circle – the Shura – remains, if Abdullah Qardash is still alive, whether there is infighting,” he said. Hasan Haniyeh, an Amman-based analyst, said al-Baghdadi’s death will not …

Death of a terrorist: On Baghdadi's killing
5 years, 2 months ago

Death of a terrorist: On Baghdadi's killing

The Hindu  

The death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the founder-leader of the Islamic State, is a major setback to the dreaded terrorist organisation. Baghdadi, who rose to international notoriety in July 2014 when he appeared in the pulpit of Mosul’s grand al-Nuri mosque as the leader of the new ‘Caliphate’ announced by his group, “died like a dog”, according to U.S. President …

Will IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s killing help Donald Trump?
5 years, 2 months ago

Will IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s killing help Donald Trump?

Hindustan Times  

Shortly after President Donald Trump announced the death of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a US raid, his 2020 re-election campaign sent a text to supporters saying the president is “keeping American safe”, chalking it up for use at the hustings. US President Donald Trump makes a statement at the White House following reports that U.S. forces attacked Islamic …

The significance of Baghdadi’s end | Analysis
5 years, 2 months ago

The significance of Baghdadi’s end | Analysis

Hindustan Times  

This past weekend, the United States announced that the elusive leader of Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed after a nighttime raid by US Army Delta Force commandos in northwestern Syria’s Idlib region. His death comes at a time of churn in the IS Baghdadi, whose real name was Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Al Badri, was an Iraqi-born jihadist who, …

Al-Baghdadi operation was named after US aid worker Kayla Mueller who was tortured by the IS leader
5 years, 2 months ago

Al-Baghdadi operation was named after US aid worker Kayla Mueller who was tortured by the IS leader

Daily Mail  

Kayla Mueller, 26, was taken prisoner in 2013 after she crossed over the Turkish border to visit a hospital in war-ravaged Syria. As the world reacted to Baghdadi's death today: Security was tightened at Syrian prison camps amid fears of riots or revenge attacks following the ISIS leader's death; Donald Trump said he was considering releasing footage of the special …

Satellite images show location where ISIS chief Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was killed
5 years, 2 months ago

Satellite images show location where ISIS chief Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was killed

India TV News  

US troops carried out a special ops raid in a locked on location in Syria's Idlib district on Saturday and gunned down ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. Image Source : MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES Raid site As per reports, the US military think tank was surprised by the presence of the top ISIS chief in Idlib area, considering it is under the …

Islamic State’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: A trail of horror and death
5 years, 2 months ago

Islamic State’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: A trail of horror and death

Live Mint  

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Iraqi jihadist who rose from obscurity to declare himself "caliph" of all Muslims as the leader of Islamic State, has died in a raid by U.S. special forces in northwest Syria. U.S. air strikes had already killed most of Baghdadi's top lieutenants, including Abu Omar al-Shishani, Abu Muslim al-Turkmani, Abu Ali al-Anbari, Abu Sayyaf and the …

Donald Trump claims a big win with death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
5 years, 2 months ago

Donald Trump claims a big win with death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

ABC  

Even by the standards of this unconventional, chaotic White House, the announcement of the killing of Islamic State terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was certainly one to remember. He used boastful, inflammatory language, describing the Islamic State leader's followers as "losers" and "frightened puppies". Expect Trump to turn the moment into campaign fuel The killing of one of the world's …

The day after al-Baghdadi’s death
5 years, 2 months ago

The day after al-Baghdadi’s death

Al Jazeera  

By declaring a caliphate, al-Baghdadi has given his followers something tangible to fight for even after his death. The making of a ‘caliph’ Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, whose given name was Ibrahim Awwad al-Badri al-Samarrai, was born in 1971 in the city of Samarra, 130km north of Baghdad. He promoted Iraqi-born al-Qaeda member Abu Omar al-Baghdadi as the leader of the …

Donald Trump says Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 'died like a dog' amid US raid
5 years, 2 months ago

Donald Trump says Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 'died like a dog' amid US raid

ABC  

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed in a raid by US forces in Syria, President Donald Trump says. Key points: Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and three children in a dead-end tunnel, Donald Trump said Mr Trump said he watched the raid unfold and that Baghdadi "died like a dog", …

Islamic State leader leaves a legacy of terror
5 years, 2 months ago

Islamic State leader leaves a legacy of terror

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi sought to establish a new Islamic “caliphate” across Syria and Iraq, but he might be remembered more as the ruthlessly calculating militant leader of the Islamic State group who brought terror to the heart of Europe and set up a short-lived organization so extreme that it was shunned even by al-Qaida. Over time, more of …

Timeline of the rise and fall of the Islamic State group
5 years, 2 months ago

Timeline of the rise and fall of the Islamic State group

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — The Islamic State group erupted from the chaos of conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and it swiftly did what no other militant organization had done before: conquer a giant stretch of territory and declare itself a “caliphate.” Its territorial rule, which at its height in 2014 stretched across nearly a third of both Syria and Iraq, ended in …

Al-Baghdadi’s death a blow, but IS has survived other losses
5 years, 2 months ago

Al-Baghdadi’s death a blow, but IS has survived other losses

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — The death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi marks the demise of one of the most brutally effective jihadist leaders of modern times — a man who commanded tens of thousands of fighters from around the world, carved out a territorial caliphate in the Middle East and refined a horrific ideology that survives him. His death is …

Islamic State leader leaves a legacy of terror
5 years, 2 months ago

Islamic State leader leaves a legacy of terror

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi sought to establish an Islamic “caliphate” across Syria and Iraq, but he might be remembered more as the ruthlessly calculating leader of the Islamic State group who brought terror to the heart of Europe and set up a short-lived organization so extreme that it was shunned even by al-Qaida. In April 2013, al-Baghdadi announced what …

ISIS’s Baghdadi killed: Trump cheapened and politicized a military victory.
5 years, 2 months ago

ISIS’s Baghdadi killed: Trump cheapened and politicized a military victory.

Slate  

The killing of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is a big deal in the fight against terrorism—but not as big a deal as President Donald Trump made it out to be in his 50-minute press conference on Sunday morning. The two groups still have many ideological similarities; “their estrangement,” Hoffman said, “was always the product of an outsize clash of …

Trump Describes in Lurid Terms How ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Killed in U.S. Raid
5 years, 2 months ago

Trump Describes in Lurid Terms How ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Killed in U.S. Raid

Slate  

President Trump confirmed during a national address Sunday morning that U.S. special forces killed what they say is ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a raid in northwest Syria late Saturday night. “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead,” Trump proclaimed, saying the mission had been accomplished in “grand style” before providing a descriptive, lurid, and typically hyperbolic account of the several-hour …

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