The U.S. military said Tuesday that it cannot confirm the latest reports that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed in Syria.

"We cannot confirm this report, but hope it is true," said Army Col. Ryan Dillon, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, in response to a query from the Washington Examiner.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told the Reuters news agency it has "confirmed information" from ISIS sources in the eastern Syrian town of Deir al-Zor had Baghdadi had died, but who did not specify when.

This is not the first time Baghdadi's demise has been reported.

Most recently, Russia claimed last month it killed the ISIS leader when it bombed a gathering of some 300 Islamic State militants meeting outside Raqqa, but the Pentagon dismissed the report as unlikely.

While the U.S. has no evidence to confirm the report, the military spokesman said Baghdadi's removal from the battlefield was inevitable.

"We strongly advise ISIS to implement a strong line of succession," Ryan said. "It will be needed."