The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the death of Abou al-Hassan al-Muhajir, who had been the official spokesman for the Islamic State (ISIS) and the right-hand man of its leader Abou Bakr al-Baghdadi.
On Sunday, SDF commandeer Mazloum Abadi said on Twitter that, “Al-Muhajir, the right-hand of Baghdadi and the spokesman for ISIS, was targeted in the village of Ayn al-Baydah near Jarablus, in a coordinated operation between SDF intelligence and the US army.”
An eyewitness from Jarablus told Alsouria Net that helicopters thought to be from the US-led International Coalition had struck a car near the city of Jarablus.
The witness said that the car had two people inside it—the first was the driver and the other was in the trunk. He said that they were killed and that the bodies were completely charred, without being able to identify them.
Activists from the Aleppo countryside published video recordings on WhatsApp groups that showed the targeted car and the charred bodies.
America has not official announced the death of Muhajir, who was struck hours after the announcement of Baghdadi’s death in an operation in the town of Barisha in the northern Idleb countryside.
US President Donald Trump announced that Baghdadi had been killed.
He said in a televised speech from the White House that Baghdadi had killed himself and three of his children by blowing himself up after fleeing from American forces into a dead-end tunnel.
In his statements, Trump added, “Last night the United States brought the world’s number one terrorist leader to justice.”
He added: “The thug who tried so hard to intimidate others spent his last moments in utter fear, in total panic and dread, terrified of the American forces bearing down on him.”
Muhajir was considered to be Baghdadi’s right-hand man and the official spokesman for the Islamic State. He took over this position from the previous spokesman Abou Mohamed al-Adnani in August 2016.
There are no photos of Muhajir, and ISIS has not issued information about him, not his birthday or the country where he was born and raised.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
