Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s right-hand man has been killed by US troops, President Donald Trump has claimed, days after announcing that a military raid brought an end to the infamous leader of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).

“Just confirmed that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s number one replacement has been terminated by American troops. Most likely would have taken the top spot – Now he is also Dead!” Trump tweeted on Tuesday. He did not identify al-Baghdadi’s alleged successor.

Just confirmed that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s number one replacement has been terminated by American troops. Most likely would have taken the top spot - Now he is also Dead! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2019

The US president did not specify whether the terrorist chief’s mysterious lieutenant was killed alongside his boss in the US military operation in Idlib, Syria last week, or if he was killed in a separate incident. Trump was likely referring to Islamic State spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir, named as a potential replacement for the notorious terrorist leader. The State Department said on Monday that he had been killed hours after the US raid that took down al-Baghdadi.

Trump’s boast about the raid that allegedly killed al-Baghdadi has peeved many liberal pundits and news outlets, with some even airbrushing the head of the worldwide “caliphate” in hopes of depriving Trump of a foreign policy victory. Others, including the UN, have taken issue with the lack of hard evidence pointing to al-Baghdadi’s demise.

The Pentagon says that the terrorist leader’s body was swiftly identified using DNA testing, and then dumped into an unidentified body of water – the same protocol reportedly used to ID and “bury” Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in 2011.

Also on rt.com ‘Disposal complete’: ISIS chief al-Baghdadi buried at sea, like bin Laden, but photo & video proof remains classified – Pentagon

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