Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the ISIS leader who was branded a global terrorist by the US, has been killed in Syria, according to US senior officials.
The Iraqi terrorist died when he detonated a bomb, which led to him reportedly killing himself and members of his family during a Syria raid by US forces.
Several US helicopters are reported to have landed on the outskirts of the opposition-held town of Atmeh, which is in the northern Idlib province and is close to the border with Turkey. The raid is said to have happened at around midnight, local time, on Thursday.
Here's everything you need to know, including Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi's brutal crimes and what ensued in the raid.
Who is Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi?
Iraqi terrorist Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi, also known as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, became the leader of the Islamic State after previous leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi blew himself up during a US operation in 2019 in Syria.
Also known as Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla, he was a senior terrorist leader in Al Qaeda in Iraq, where he became deputy leader.
According to Joe Biden, the wanted criminal also spearheaded the campaign to abduct, rape, and slaughter thousands of Yazidis in north-west Iraq. After he was designated as a global terrorist, the US offered a $10million reward for information that would lead to his capture.
In a December 2021 report, the Wilson Center noted that al-Qurayshi hasn’t shown his face and the group has released almost no biographical details about him.
Unlike other leaders of ISIS - founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq during the US invasion - the report noted that al-Qurayshi has not even given an audio address in which Islamic State members might hear his voice in a "sharp break in precedent".
The report said: "Some disaffected former members of the group have argued that it is contrary to the Sharia to pledge allegiance to a ghost, but that does not seem to have swayed opinion. If there was opposition to al Mawla’s (Qurayshi) ascension, it has not manifested on the battlefield."
Though he kept a low profile, al-Qurayshi was a "brutal policymaker" and was responsible for "eliminating those who opposed al-Baghdadi’s leadership", according to the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) think-tank.
What happened during the US raid of Syria?
The US raid of Syrian town Atmeh on Thursday was the largest raid in the province since the 2019 Trump -era US assault that killed al-Baghdadi.
The raid, which lasted for two hours, ended after al-Qurayshi blew himself up in a cowardly move that also killed members of his family.
Described as a "successful" counter-terrorism mission by the Pentagon, Thursday's raid left carnage at al-Qurashi's home.
The Syrian Civil Defense and first responders confirmed 13 people were killed, including six children and four women.
His home, in which he detonated the bomb, was almost fully destroyed as well, with a nearby kitchen blackened with fire damage. Blood could also be seen on the walls and floor in haunting images that emerged after the operation.
A Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said: "US Special Operations forces under the control of US Central Command conducted a counterterrorism mission this evening in north-west Syria. The mission was successful. There were no US casualties."
What did President Biden say about al-Qurayshi's death?
The White House issued a statement on Thursday regarding the raid: "President Biden, Vice President Harris and members of the President’s national security team observe the counterterrorism operation responsible for removing from the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of ISIS."
President Biden also said that he ordered the raid to "protect the American people and our allies, and make the world a safer place".
In a statement he added: "Thanks to the skill and bravery of our Armed Forces, we have taken off the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of ISIS," adding that all Americans involved in the operation returned safely.
