Report: Islamic State's second-in-command killed in Syria raid
Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli is believed to have been killed in a US air strike, US media outlets said.
By REUTERSUpdated: MARCH 25, 2016 18:58Abd al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli is seen in an undated picture from the US Department of State.(photo credit: REUTERS)
A senior Islamic State commander was targeted and likely killed in a US operation, a US official told Reuters on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity.News of the operation comes just ahead of a Pentagon briefing scheduled for 10:45 a.m. (1445 GMT). Defense Secretary Ash Carter is expected to make the announcement at the briefing, according to US media reports.Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, the militant group's second-in-command, was killed in a raid in Syria on Thursday, Fox News reported.The commander, who went by several aliases and was a senior religious leader within the militant group, is believed to have been killed in a US air strike, US media outlets said.Carter is also expected to discuss the death of another top Islamic State leader, senior operative Abu Omar al-Shishani, in another recent strike, Fox News said.A news agency that supports Islamic State has denied that al-Shishani, also known as the Chechen, had been killed or wounded.