On Monday, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) self-proclaimed “caliph”, Ibrahim Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, received news that his right-hand man, Tarek Khalaf ‘Abdullah, was reportedly killed by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

Also known by his nom de guerre “Abu Hatem Albu ‘Umar”, Tarek ‘Abdullah was one of the Islamic State’s most prominent field commanders inside Syria.

The ISIS commander was arguably one of Baghdadi’s most trustworthy commanders in Syria, leading several terrorist operations against the Syrian government and People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Tarek ‘Abdullah’s death could not come at a worse time for Baghdadi, as his forces face a serious threat from the Iraqi Army at the Al-Qa’im border-crossing and provincial capital of the Nineveh Governorate (Mosul).