Islamic State confirms death of propaganda chief

Islamic State (Isis) today confirmed the death of its propaganda chief, whom the Pentagon said was killed in a US-led air strike in Syria’s Raqqa province last month.

An statement posted online by the militant group paid tribute to Wa’il Adil Hasan Salman al-Fayad, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Furqan.

The statement just referred to him by his alias.

It did not say when, where or how he had died.

The Pentagon said last month that a US-led coalition air strike on September 7th had killed al-Fayad.

It said he was minister of information, overseeing Islamic State’s propaganda, and a prominent member of its Senior Shura Council, or leadership group.

The Isis statement referred to al-Fayad as head of its media arm.

The air strike took place near Raqqa, Isis’s de facto capital in northern Syria, and targeted al-Fayad while he was on a motorcycle outside his house, the Pentagon said.

Isis controls large parts of Iraq and Syria and has broadcast its beheadings of journalists and aid workers in recent years.

The group has sympathisers in several countries who have carried out bombings and shootings of civilians.

Reuters