Islamic State 'Minister of War' killed in Russian airstrike: Moscow
Dead include four senior commanders and Abu Muhammad al-Shimali who oversees foreign fighters at IS
PHOTO: REUTERS
MOSCOW:
Around 40 Islamic State fighters, including four senior commanders, were killed near Syria's eastern city of Deir al-Zor by a Russian air strike, the Russian defence ministry said on Friday, according to the RIA news agency.
It said among those killed was Abu Muhammad al-Shimali, the so-called Emir of Deir Ezzor and the "Minister of War" who oversees foreign fighters at IS.
Islamic State faces uphill 'branding war' in Afghanistan, Pakistan
"As a result of a precision airstrike of the Russian air forces in the vicinity of Deir Ezzor city, a command post, communication centre and some 40 ISIS fighters have been killed," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement on Facebook.
"According to confirmed data, among the killed fighters are four influential field commanders including Deir Ezzor emir Abu Mohammed al-Shimali," the ministry said.
Islamic State chief Baghdadi killed: Syrian Observatory
Gulmurod Khalimov, a native of Tajikistan who is known as the IS group's Minister of War, suffered a 'fatal injury', the ministry added.
Khalimov headed the Tajik interior ministry's special forces unit before joining IS in 2015. Backed by Russia, Syrian troops on Tuesday broke through a years-long siege imposed by IS militants on tens of thousands of civilians in Deir Ezzor.
Around 40 Islamic State fighters, including four senior commanders, were killed near Syria's eastern city of Deir al-Zor by a Russian air strike, the Russian defence ministry said on Friday, according to the RIA news agency.
It said among those killed was Abu Muhammad al-Shimali, the so-called Emir of Deir Ezzor and the "Minister of War" who oversees foreign fighters at IS.
Islamic State faces uphill 'branding war' in Afghanistan, Pakistan
"As a result of a precision airstrike of the Russian air forces in the vicinity of Deir Ezzor city, a command post, communication centre and some 40 ISIS fighters have been killed," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement on Facebook.
"According to confirmed data, among the killed fighters are four influential field commanders including Deir Ezzor emir Abu Mohammed al-Shimali," the ministry said.
Islamic State chief Baghdadi killed: Syrian Observatory
Gulmurod Khalimov, a native of Tajikistan who is known as the IS group's Minister of War, suffered a 'fatal injury', the ministry added.
Khalimov headed the Tajik interior ministry's special forces unit before joining IS in 2015. Backed by Russia, Syrian troops on Tuesday broke through a years-long siege imposed by IS militants on tens of thousands of civilians in Deir Ezzor.