MOSCOW, September 10 (RIA Novosti) – The Iraqi Ministry of Defense has confirmed that three of the most prominent Islamic State leaders have been killed in an airstrike carried out by the Iraqi army west of the city of Mosul, Shafaq news reported on Wednesday.
According to the statement issued by the ministry and confirmed by military intelligence, “ three of the most prominent leaders of ISIS: "Okasha al-Baghdadi," , "Adnan Khudair," and "Ali Mohamed al-Shayer" were killed by an air strike of the Iraqi army during their gathering in al- Baaj department west Mosul.”
The statement was issued during United States Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. The unexpected visit was the second stop in the state secretary’s Middle Eastern tour aimed at gaining financial, political, and military support for operations against the Islamic State.
The United States alongside nine other countries across Europe, Canada and Australia agreed last week to create a united front against the IS jihadist group which has overrun much of northern Iraq and Syria declaring a caliphate over its conquered territories.
US President Barack Obama will give a televised speech on Wednesday outlining the United States' future commitments against IS.
The Islamic State, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),is a Sunni group that was involved in fighting the government forces in Syria before launching an offensive in Iraq in June. Later that month, IS announced the establishment of an Islamic caliphate on all territories it had conquered.
