Russian US defence chiefs are both claiming to have killed the second-in-command and senior strategist of ISIS.
Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the terror group’s head of propaganda and foreign operations, died last night on a surveillance mission near Aleppo in Syria, according to official ISIS media.
A few hours later the US military issued a statement confirming they had targeted al-Adnani and that his death would mark a serious setback for the IS leadership.
But today Russia’s Defence Ministry issued a counter-claim declaring that al-Adani had in fact been laid low by one of their airstrikes.
BREAKING: In unprecedented announcement, ISIS says its spokesman Mohammad al-Adnani is dead https://t.co/pti7PeS2BP https://t.co/kESdKQBG1S
— CNN (@CNN) August 30, 2016
The Russians said al-Adnani was one of up to 40 rebels killed by air strikes by a Russian Su-34 bomber in Maaratat-Umm Khaush in the Aleppo province.
This appeared to contradict the US statement, which said that Adnani was targeted by coalition forces conducting a “precision strike near Al Bab, Syria”, 16 miles from where the Russians said they had killed him.
The Pentagon said yesterday: “We are still assessing the results of the strike, but al-Adnani’s removal from the battlefield would mark another significant blow to ISIL [how the Federal Government refers to ISIS].
Yep it's confirmed. Spokesman of ISis Al-Adnani is dead. pic.twitter.com/Y0mIOZR2It
— Isaac Cohen (@IHWCo) August 30, 2016
“Al-Adnani has served as principal architect of ISIL’s external operations and as ISIL’s chief spokesman.
“He has coordinated the movement of ISIL fighters, directly encouraged lone-wolf attacks on civilians and members of the military and actively recruited new ISIL members.”
Today ISIS supporters were quick to promise retribution for the death of al-Adnani.
In an online edition of the Islamic State’s newspaper al-Naba, distributed hours after al-Adnani’s death was confirmed, the group told its fighters to keep fighting.
Abu Mohammed al-Adnani is not just one of most senior ISIS figures, but also responsible for external operations. pic.twitter.com/xPkZ8iyAh5
— Björn Stritzel (@bjoernstritzel) August 30, 2016
But members of the rival terrorist group al-Qeada were also celebrating the death of Al-Adnani, who was once a member himself.
Islamic State and al-Qaeda in Syria have been fighting each other in the region ever since the al-Qeada leadership refused to pledge allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi in 2014.
The split among the violent jihadists in Syria led to much blood-letting.
Today Abu Sulayman al Muhajir, a senior al Qaeda cleric, tweeted: “Adnani was just a mouthpiece of a sinister group of thugs, he was a passionate advocator of eradicating Muslims in the name of Jihad”.
Experts believe al-Adnani’s death, combined with recent ISIS territorial losses. could leave the door open for an al-Qaeda to replace ISIS with its own caliphate.
But this will not happen without a bloody fight.
1. Senior Al Qaeda (yes, al Qaeda!)/JFS official in Syria celebrates death of #IS leader Abu Muhammad al Adnani: pic.twitter.com/PvePDv66Lb
— Thomas Joscelyn (@thomasjoscelyn) August 31, 2016
Even after announcing al-Adnani’s death, ISIS’s Amaq media agency boasted of the group’s resilience.
“The blood of the sheikhs will only make it more firm on the path of jihad and determination to take revenge and assault”, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
The announcement by ISIS of the death of al-Adnani was unusually quick.
The group rarely hands propaganda victories to the West, instead waiting weeks or even months before confirming the death of one of its fighters.
And there have been a number of cases of IS fighters faking their own deaths so they can return to Europe or carry on operations in Syria under the radar.
But analysts believe that in this instance al-Adnani’s high profile and standing among the group meant the ISIS leadership had to be seen to be first to claim the death.
Al-Adnani was way more than a spokesman for ISIS. He was the group’s charisma, wooing a new generation of jihadis away Al-Qaeda & into ISIS.
— Paul Danahar (@pdanahar) August 30, 2016
Al-Adnani was born Taha Sobhi Falaha in the northern Syrian town of Banash in 1977 and had a US bounty of $5m (£3.82m) on his head.
In June 2014, he formally declared the establishment of the IS caliphate stretching across parts of Syria and Iraq under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, demanding allegiance from Muslims worldwide.
He went on to release audio recordings urging lone-wolf attacks against civilians in nations that supported the US-led coalition against IS.
Earlier this year, he called for attacks during Ramadan, with followers carrying out attacks including the Orlando nightclub shooting, the truck attack in the French city of Nice and a massive suicide bombing in Baghdad.
