Isis has named its new leader following the death of former “caliph” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The terrorist group announced that he had been replaced by Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi.

It issued a seven minute audio message via official propaganda channels, following days of speculation and denial among supporters.

It came five days after Baghdadi blew himself up during a US raid on his hideout in Syria’s Idlib province.

Isis’s message also confirmed the death of its former spokesman, Abu Hassan al-Muhajir, who was killed in a US airstrike in Jarablus hours later.

Timeline of the Isis caliphate Show all 19 1 /19 Timeline of the Isis caliphate Timeline of the Isis caliphate ISIS began as a group by the merging of extremist organisations ISI and al-Nusra in 2013. Following clashes, Syrian rebels captured the ISIS headquarters in Aleppo in January 2014 (pictured) AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi declared the creation of a caliphate in Mosul on 27 June 2014 Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis conquered the Kurdish towns of Sinjar and Zumar in August 2014, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes. Pictured are a group of Yazidi Kurds who have fled Rex Timeline of the Isis caliphate On September 2 2014 Isis released a video depicting the beheading of US journalist Steven Sotloff. On September 13 they released another video showing the execution of British aid worker David Haines Timeline of the Isis caliphate The US launched its first airstrikes against Isis in Syria on 23 September 2014. Here Lt Gen William C Mayville Jnr speaks about the bombing campaign in the wake of the first strikes Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis militants sit atop a hill planted with their flag in the Syrian town of Kobani on 6 October 2014. They had been advancing on Kobani since mid-September and by now was in control of the city’s entrance and exit points AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Residents of the border village of Alizar keep guard day and night as they wait in fear of mortar fire from Isis who have occupied the nearby city of Kobani Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Smoke rises following a US airstrike on Kobani, 28 October 2014 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate YPG fighters raise a flag as they reclaim Kobani on 26 January 2015 VOA Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis seized the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on 20 May 2015. This image show the city from above days after its capture by Isis Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Kurdish forces are stationed on a hill above the town of Sinjar as smoke rises following US airstrikes on 12 November 2015 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Kurdish forces enter Sinjar after seizing it from Isis control on 13 November 2015 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Iraqi government forces make the victory sign as they retake the city of Fallujah from ISIS on 26 June 2016 Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Iraqi forces battle with Isis for the city of Mosul on 30 June 2017 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Members of the Iraqi federal police raise flags in Mosul on 8 July 2017. On the following day, Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi declares victory over Isis in Mosul Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Members of Syrian Democratic Forces celebrate in Al-Naim square after taking back the city of Raqqa from Isis. US-backed Syrian forces declare victory over Isis in Raqqa on 20 October 2017 after a four-month long campaign Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Female fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces celebrate in Al-Naim Square after taking back the city of Raqqa from Isis. US-backed Syrian forces declare victory over Isis in Raqqa on 20 October 2017 after a four-month long campaign AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Trucks full of women and children arrive from the last Isis-held areas in Deir ez-Zor, Syria in January 2019 They were among the last civilians to be living in the ISIS caliphate, by this time reduced to just two small villages in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor Richard Hall/The Independent Timeline of the Isis caliphate Zikia Ibrahim, 28, with her two-year-old son and 8-month-old daughter, after fleeing the Isis caliphate, on Saturday 26 January 2019 Richard Hall/The Independent

It urged followers to act on a call made by Baghdadi in his last message, released last month, where he incited jihadis to free captured Isis fighters from camps and prisons, and recruit more followers to their cause.

The message included a threat to the US not to celebrate the deaths and vowed that Isis would continue its campaign both in and beyond the Middle East.

A new spokesman, who delivered the audio message, was named as Abu Hamza al-Qurayshi.

All names given by Isis are kunyas, which have been used as noms de guerre by Isis fighters seeking to conceal their real identities and adopt Islamic symbolism.

The new leaders’ last names, al-Qurashi, signifies that they claim to be descendants of the tribe the Prophet Mohamed belonged to.

The announcement said the new “caliph” had been chosen by Isis’s governing shura council and suggested he was both a veteran jihadi fighter and religious scholar.

Isis affiliates were issuing new pledges of allegiance to al-Qurashi as the message spread on Thursday afternoon.

International governments have welcomed news of Baghdadi’s death but experts warn that Isis’s bureaucracy and increased focus on international factions outside Iraq and Syria would ensure its survival.

Some supporters have threatened revenge attacks over the US operation, putting intelligence agencies in western countries on heightened alert.

‘He died whimpering and crying’: Trump announces Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed in US raid in Syria

The new Isis leader’s real name was not immediately known, and it was unclear whether he is the same person named as successor by Baghdadi’s brother-in-law.

Mohammed Ali Sajet previously said a man known in Isis documents as Hajji Abdullah, and by US authorities as Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal Rahman al-Mawla, could become caliph.

An American wanted notice describes the Iraqi man as one of Isis’s most senior ideologues, after rising up the ranks of al-Qaeda in Iraq, and said he helped justify the Yazidi genocide.

Raffaello Pantucci, the director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said al-Qurashi was likely to be an Iraqi jihadi who had been in Baghdadi’s close circle since his time as leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

He told The Independent such an appointment could cause unrest in Syrian Isis factions and that the new leader would “shape the organisation” going forward.

The circumstances of Baghdadi’s capture suggested he was still “involved in the conflict”, in contact with subordinates and driving operations, Mr Pantucci said.

“These guys come and go but the organisations persist,” he added. “Although leaders are significant, the underlying issues are more significant.”

Citing anti-government protests in Iraq and the ongoing civil war in Syria, the researcher said Isis would continue to have a pool of disenfranchised local recruits.

Mr Pantucci added: “Externally, the threat picture stays pretty constant and is only likely to get worse given the underlying conditions.”

Donald Trump said Baghdadi killed himself and three children by detonating a suicide bomb after being chased into a tunnel by a dog on Saturday.

A protester gestures as burning tyres light up the night skies during anti-government protests in the Shia shrine city of Karbala (AFP/Getty)

“He died like a dog, he died like a coward,” the US president added. “The world is now a much safer place.”

Many Isis supporters had expressed doubt over the announcement of Baghdadi’s death ahead of the group’s confirmation.

Boris Johnson called it “an important moment in our fight against terror”, but added: “The battle against the evil of Daesh [Isis] is not yet over.

“We will work with our coalition partners to bring an end to the murderous, barbaric activities of Daesh once and for all.”

There have been warnings over the potential of an Isis resurgence after Mr Trump withdrew US troops from northern Syria, allowing Turkish-backed forces to invade areas where jihadis are being held.

Kurdish commanders in the region have told The Independent they cannot secure Isis prisons and camps if fighting with Turkish forces continues in spite of a Russia-brokered ceasefire.

“We do not know for how long we will be able to keep these prisons secured,” said Syrian Defence Forces commander Mervan Qamishli.

American officials say that at least 100 Isis fighters have already escaped in the weeks since Turkey launched its incursion against Kurdish fighters, which were allied to the US-led coalition but considered terrorists by Ankara.

The British government has refused to repatriate captives for trial and dramatically increased its use of controversial citizenship deprivation powers to prevent any return to the UK.