US terminated Baghdadi's No. 1 replacement: Donald Trump

A picture taken on October 28 shows Syrian bikers riding past a damaged car at the site of a US-led operation against IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the previous day, in Idlib province. Pic/AFP

Washington: President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US had "terminated" the "number one replacement" to ISIS leader and world's most-wanted terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who was killed in an American raid in Syria.

President Trump announced on Sunday that Baghdadi, believed to be 48-year-old, blew himself in his suicide vest as the ISIS leader was chased to the dead end of a tunnel by the US service dogs during a raid by American special forces in northwest Syria. "Just confirmed that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's number one replacement has been terminated by American troops. Most likely would have taken the top spot. Now he is also dead!"

Trump tweeted. Baghdadi had not officially named his successor, but several names were being speculated after his death. Trump told the media on Sunday that the US knew the potential successors of Baghdadi and was after them. The president, however, did not specify who the individual was, nor did he give any details on the mission that led to his death. Multiple media reports from the region have identified him as Abu Hassan al-Muhajir. According to The New York Times, he was being smuggled across northern Syria in the back of an oil tanker truck when it was hit by what witnesses said they believed to be an American airstrike.

2013
Year ISIS started to spread all over Iraq and Syria

IS insider to get $25 million bounty

An IS insider played a major role in the US operation that resulted in the death of Baghdadi. The informer provided detailed information about Baghdadi's final hideout, the Daily Mail reported, citing a US daily. During the US operation, a "well-placed mole", who was present inside Baghdadi's compound, gave his exact location. The IS insider
is likely to receive some or all of the $25 million bounty that the US had placed on Baghdadi.

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