Russia claims it killed ISIS leader in air strike

Russia’s Ministry of Defence on Friday said its troops killed the leader of the Islamic State group in a May airstrike in Syria. The ministry said Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was likely present and killed in a May 28 airstrike on an ISIS meeting in the group’s de facto capital, Raqqa. The raid also killed about 30 mid-level militant leaders and about 300 other fighters. At a news conference in Moscow today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he doesn’t have “a 100 percent confirmation” of al-Baghdadi’s death. If confirmed, Lavrov said no one should overestimate the importance of killing al-Baghdadi, as other terror organizations have regrouped following the death of important leaders. U.S. Army Col. Ryan Dillon said the U.S.-led anti-Islamic State coalition has yet to confirm reports of al-Baghdadi’s death.

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