Islamic State Media Says Top Commander Killed In Iraq

A media outlet run by the so-called Islamic State (IS) says one of the militant group’s top commanders, Umar al-Shishani, has been killed in fighting near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

The IS-run Aamaq news agency reported on July 13 that Shishani was killed in the town of Al-Shirqat, near Mosul, while fighting against Iraqi government forces in the IS-held city.

IS supporters on social media, meanwhile, published eulogies to Shishani.

U.S. and Iraqi officials, as well as Syrian activists, said in March that Shishani had been killed as a result of a U.S. air strike in Syria.

Aamaq denied that Shishani was killed in March but never provided evidence that he was alive.

It was not immediately possible to reconcile the conflicting reports.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP