ISIS leader killed, US welcomes news

WASHINGTON, November 30

The White House welcomed the news that militant group Islamic State’s leader Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Quraishi was killed, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

“We’re still working our way through that” Kirby said, when asked about reports of the leader’s death. “We welcome the announcement that another leader of ISIS is no longer walking the face of the Earth.”

A spokesman for the group said Hashimi, an Iraqi, was killed “in combat with enemies of God”, without elaborating on the date of his death or the circumstances

Speaking in an audio message, the spokesman identified the group’s new leader as Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi. — Reuters