Pentagon chief confirms killing of Abu Umar al-Shishani

Tarkhan Batirashvili, one of the leaders of the "Islamic State" (IS), well-known as Abu Umar al-Shishani, was killed in an operation carried out on March 4. This was confirmed by Ashton Carter, US Secretary of Defence, despite the refutation of the information by the IS.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 15, a Pentagon official reported that Abu Umar Al-Shishani died after an air strike carried out against the town of Al-Shaddadah on March 4. The report was refuted by the "Islamic State" (banned in Russia, note of the "Caucasian Knot").

Today, Pentagon chief Ashton Carter has confirmed the death of Abu Umar al-Shishani and called him "war minister" of the IS.

"The town of Al-Shaddadah was so important to the IS that their so-called war minister took part in the defence of the IS in this town. We have killed him, and our local partners have expelled the IS from the town," the RIA "Novosti" quotes Ashton Carter as reporting.

On March 21, the information about the death of Tarkhan Batirashvili was disseminated by the "Alsumaria" TV Channel with reference to Iraqi General Ismail al-Mahalawi. It has been at least the 12th report on the killing of Abu Umar al-Shishani since February of 2013.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.