ISIS leader ‘killed’ in air strike on mountain base as terror group fights for survival

IRAQ says it has killed the Islamic State leader after warplanes hit a mountain complex.

Experts were last night carrying out tests on DNA samples from a terror suspect believed to be Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi.

He only became leader last November after the previous chief was killed.

Commandos from the Iraqi “Golden Division” had retrieved a number of bodies after the attack.

Gen Abdul Wahab el-Saadi said last night: “We know we killed a man who was heading the Islamic State’s media campaign.

“This man is never far away from the Isis leadership so we believe and we hope the leadership has been killed..”

RAF Typhoon jets recently carried out airstrikes on the Hamrin Mountains, but it is not known if they were involved in this mission.

The terrorist group known as Islamic State is fighting for survival after humiliating military defeats.

The murderous network – known for its barbaric public executions – was originally part of al-Qaeda before splitting with the group over differences in ideology and methods.

ISIS, Isil, and Daesh are just a few of the those used by the terror group, which started in 1999 when it was formed by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

As far as they are concerned, the correct term is the Islamic State - but the British and US Governments are among those preferring to use the name Isil.

The term ISIS is more commonly used within international news publications, and has been used as a label in official United Nations reports.