Senior Russian Senator: The Probability of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's Death is Close to 100 Percent

The head of the Defense and Security Committee of the Russian Federation Council stated on Friday, June 22, that the probability of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS), being killed is close to 100 percent. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Viktor Ozerov announced: "I believe the accuracy of the information is close to 100 percent. The fact that Baghdadi has not shown himself anywhere also creates confidence that he has been killed." He added: "If the Russian Minister of Defense has informed the President (Vladimir Putin) of the death of the leader of the Islamic State, then this matter is likely true." This senior Russian senator said: "Russia does not want to be among the countries reporting that Baghdadi is still alive." The Russian Ministry of Defense had stated on June 16 that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was likely killed in a bombing conducted in the vicinity of Raqqa. It added in a statement: In the attack by Russian fighter jets on a gathering of ISIS leaders that took place on June 28, 30 mid-level ISIS leaders and 300 of their members were also killed. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that based on information reviewed from various sources, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was likely present at this gathering and was killed. This news has not yet been confirmed by other sources. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's real name is Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim Ali Muhammad al-Badri. He was born in 1971, likely near Samarra in Iraq. Al-Baghdadi declared the Islamic Caliphate in 2014 at the Great Mosque of Mosul, known as the al-Nuri Mosque. The ISIS group blew up this mosque and its 800-year-old minaret on Wednesday while Iraqi forces were just a few meters away from it.