Islamic State confirms death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, names his successor

The group has also confirmed the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in its newly released message, reports said.

"ISIS confirmed the death of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and that of its former spox, Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir,"  SITE Intelligence Group tweeted.

"The message warns America not to rejoice in killing of its leadership. Asserts #ISIS is not limited to Middle East and that it will continue its mission," SITE Director Rita Katz said.

Ending all speculations, US President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed the death of ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
  
Speaking in the White House, the US President said the ISIS supremo was killed during a US operation.

Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and ISIS:

After heading the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), also known as al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in a statement on 8 April 2013, al-Baghdadi had announced the formation of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) – alternatively translated from the Arabic as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

In June 2014, ISIL announced the establishment of a worldwide caliphate and al-Baghdadi was named its caliph, to be known as "Caliph Ibrahim", and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was renamed the Islamic State.

Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was designated by the United States Department of State as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist who was "responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians in the Middle East, including the brutal murder of numerous civilian hostages from Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States".