Iraqi Air Force Hits Convoy of ISIL Leader Baghdadi


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iraqi air force struck a convoy of ISIL terrorist group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in the western Anbar province close to the Syrian border Sunday, a military statement said.

The fate of the militant leader, who has declared himself the leader of a Caliphate in areas it controls in Iraq and Syria, is still unknown, the statement cited by Reuters said.

"Iraqi air forces have bombed the convoy of the terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi while he was heading to Karabla to attend a meeting with Daesh commanders", the statement read, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

Karabla is located on the Euphrates river barely five kilometers (three miles) from the border with Syria. The statement did not make clear when the strike was carried out.

The statement did not make clear when the strike was carried out.

The military said the air force bombed a location where Baghdadi was planning to meet ISIL commanders.

"The location of the meeting was also bombed and many of the group's leaders were killed and wounded. The fate of murderer al-Baghdadi is unknown and he was carried away by a vehicle. His health condition is still unclear," the military said.

The statement was released by the "war media cell," a structure which provides updates on the war against ISIL and speaks for the interior and defense ministries as well as the paramilitary Popular Mobilization forces.

ISIL has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq and has declared a caliphate over territory it controls.