Russia claims it may have killed Islamic State leader al-Baghdadi

Al-Furqn Media | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

An image grab taken from a video released on July 5, 2014 by Al-Furqan Media shows alleged Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi preaching during Friday prayer at a mosque in Mosul.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Friday that Ibrahim abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Islamic State’s leader, had been killed by air strikes on the Syrian city of Raqqa at the end of May.

“The strikes of Su-35 and Su-34 fighter jets destroyed high-ranking commanders of the terrorist group who were part of the so-called military council of ISIS, along with 30 field commanders and up to 300 militants, their personal guards,” the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to a translation, via a Facebook post published on Friday.

“According to the information that is being checked via various channels, Ibrahim abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS was at the conference and was liquidated by the strike,” it added.

The claim has not yet been verified.

The Russian Defense Ministry said they had informed the U.S. administration of the strike.