Click to see full-size image.
On March 11, ISIS’s news agency, Amaq, released photos showing terrorists of the group in the Levant and West Africa pledging allegiance to their new leader Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi.
Abu al-Hassan succeeded Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, who died during a US raid on his hideout in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib on February 3.
ISIS confirmed the death of Abu Ibrahim in an audio message that was released by the al-Furqan Foundation for Media Production on March 10. In the same message, the terrorist group revealed that Abu Ibrahim named Abu al-Hassan as his successor before his death.
The first set of photos released by Amaq shows some of the group’s terrorists in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk pledging allegiance to Abu Hassan.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
The second set of photos shows dozens of ISIS terrorists near Lake Chad in Western Africa pledging allegiance to the group’s new leader.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
-
- Click to see full-size image.
Abu al-Hassan, who comes from a close circle of battle-hardened Iraqi terrorists who emerged in the aftermath of the 2003 US invasion, was apparently close to Abu Ibrahim.
Two unnamed Iraqi security officials told Reuters Abu al-Hassan real name is Juma Awad al-Badri, and he is the elder brother of former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who died during a US raid in Greater Idlib on 26 October 2019. This is yet to be confirmed, however.
No much is expected to change under the rule of Abu Hassan. ISIS will likely continue its attempt to expand its control and influence, especially in the Levant, Africa and Central Asia.
