Pentagon confirms top ISIS commander with $5m bounty is dead
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Omar al-Shishani, a top commander of the Islamic State (ISIS) with a $5 million US bounty on his head, has died of injuries sustained in coalition airstrikes in northern Syria, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday.
“We believe he subsequently died of his injuries,” Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told AFP news agency.
Last week a US official announced that Shishani, who was referred to as ISIS’ “war minister” was believed dead in a US air strike in the Syrian town of Shaddadi.
Shishani’s real name was Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili and he was also known as "Omar the Chechen."
He was a top commander who was posted by ISIS to Kobani during a months-long siege of the Kurdish city in northern Syria that was liberated last January by rebel groups that included the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).
Shishani, a Georgian national, was among the most wanted ISIS leaders.
“We believe he subsequently died of his injuries,” Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told AFP news agency.
Last week a US official announced that Shishani, who was referred to as ISIS’ “war minister” was believed dead in a US air strike in the Syrian town of Shaddadi.
Shishani’s real name was Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili and he was also known as "Omar the Chechen."
He was a top commander who was posted by ISIS to Kobani during a months-long siege of the Kurdish city in northern Syria that was liberated last January by rebel groups that included the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).
Shishani, a Georgian national, was among the most wanted ISIS leaders.