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US magazine reveals name of likely successor to dead Islamic State group’s leader

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was allegedly killed in a US special operation in Syria’s Idlib

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. Abdullah Qardash is believed to be the successor to the Islamic State militant group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was allegedly killed in a US special operation in Syria’s Idlib, US magazine Newsweek has reported.

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Trump says Islamic State leader al-Baghdadi killed in US raid in Syria

Qardash "was said to have been nominated by Baghdadi in August to run the group's "Muslim affairs," but was never publicly endorsed by the group, according to the report.

A regional intelligence official told Newsweek that Qardash presumably had taken over Baghdadi's role. "Baghdadi was a figurehead. He was not involved in operations or day-to-day," the official told Newsweek. "All Baghdadi did was say yes or no."

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