Islamic State spokesman and "lone wolves" architect Al-Adnani, killed in Aleppo
The death comes at a time of military difficulty for the jihadist movement. He was killed during a "reconnaissance mission" in the province. Pentagon spokesman: "principal architect" of IS foreign operations. Among the founders of the "Caliphate", he had a bounty of five million dollars.
Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, Islamic State spokesman and strategist, who became famous in recent weeks for his appeal for attacks in the West during Ramadan, has been killed in Syria.
The confirmation came last night through jihadist sources of Amaq agency, close to Daesh [Arabic acronym for the IS], that he died in a town in the province of Aleppo, now the epicenter of the Syrian conflict.
The news of the death of one of the most important men of the Caliphate comes at a time of difficulty, at least in military terms, for the Islamic extremist movement; in recent weeks the jihadist militia has suffered heavy defeats in Syria and Iraq.
According to Amaq agency reports, Adani was killed during a reconnaissance mission in the area around Aleppo, where the "mother of all battles" is being fought. Recently the fighting in the capital of northern Syria has intensified, with rebels intent on breaking the siege and the Syrian government army and Russians fighter jets are engaged in air strikes.
In the evening a note Pentagon confirmed an attack on an "important leader" of the Islamic State in Al Bab, in the governorate of Aleppo, about 50 km north-east of the city.
Pentagon spokesman, Peter Cook, described the jihadist leader as the "principal architect of Işil foreign operations" (another name for IS).
The intelligence portal Site, experienced in monitoring the jihadist activities, reports that Adnani was killed while traveling from Raqqa, the "capital" of the Caliphate, to Aleppo. He was not only the spokesman of the group, but also one of the most ferocious and inspirational leader of so-called "lone wolves" responsible for bloody attacks in Europe. "The disappearance of Adnani from the battlefield - Cook added - is a blow for the IS".
Born in the northern town of Banash in 1977, his real name was Taha Sobhi Falaha: on his head hung a bounty of five million dollars from the United States. He first appeared on the terrorist stage in 2000, after swearing an oath to al-Zarqawi, Daesh leader Iraq.
In 2014 he informally announced the birth of the "Caliphate" of the Islamic state, which in the meantime had won at least half of the territories - also largely desert areas – in Syria and Iraq. He also had announced the leadership of the group, entrusted to extremist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and seeking the alliance of Muslims around the world.
The audio tape released on September 22, 2014, in which the same al- Adnani in 40 minute speech invoked the "call to arms" of lone wolves has become notorious. An incitement directed at Muslims living in the West, to kill civilians in their countries by resorting to any means available.
Many of the attacks last period claimed by the jihadists have been inspired by the words of Adnani, as was the case in the attacks in Nice and Rouen, in France, in addition to the suicide bombing in Baghdad. According to analysts and experts, he was endowed with considerable oratorical and military capabilities; he was responsible for the formation of a network of terrorist sleeper cells in Europe - and not only - ready to strike at any time.
22/09/2014
18/04/2017 16:17