Trump: New ISIS Leader Has Also 'Been Terminated by American Troops'
President announces second major victory in fight against Islamic State
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President Donald Trump has just announced that US forces have now taken out the Islamic State's new leader Abdullah Qardash, aka "The Professor," confirming that he "has been terminated by American troops."
It was revealed on Monday, that former Saddam Hussein officer Qardash was next in line to take over the leadership of ISIS after the former leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed himself during a raid by US forces in Syria over the weekend.
While Trump didn't name the latest terrorist taken out by US troops, he described the target as Baghdadi’s “number one replacement.”
“Just confirmed that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s number one replacement has been terminated by American troops,” President Trump announced on Twitter.
“Most likely would have taken the top spot – Now he is also Dead!”
Just confirmed that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s number one replacement has been terminated by American troops. Most likely would have taken the top spot - Now he is also Dead!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2019
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Al-Baghdadi died during a U.S. raid over the weekend in Northern Syria after being on the run for nearly a decade as one of the world’s most wanted terrorists.
It is believed he detonated a suicide vest after being cornered by American forces, killing several children in the blast and injuring a brave American dog called Conan.
A hero dog, who was a key member of the US forces team that killed ISIS leader #AbuBakralBaghdadi over the weekend, has returned to duty after being injured in a blast during the dangerous mission.
— Neon Nettle (@NeonNettle) October 29, 2019
READ MORE: https://t.co/piXnq83TQA
#BelgianMalinois #Conan
Becoming the head of ISIS in 2013, Al-Baghdadi participated in the brutal rape and murder of Arizona woman Kayla Mueller in 2015.
Al-Baghdadi died “whimpering and screaming,” Trump revealed during a Sunday morning announcement.
“He died after running into a dead-end tunnel, whimpering and crying and screaming all the way,” Trump said.
The president said the terrorist "died like a dog" and a "coward."
The killing of Al-Baghdadi and his replacement mark a major victory for the U.S. and the Trump Administration over ISIS, at a time when the president has faced significant criticism from both sides of the aisle over his policy in the region.
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The assumed new leader of ISIS, Hussein military official Qardash, sometimes spelled Karshesh, forged an alliance with al-Baghdadi in prison before rising in the ranks of the Islamic State to become a top enforcer and chief policymaker.
Qardash - nicknamed "The Professor" for his reputation as a legislator - was described as a "cruel but popular" figure among the Islamic State rank-and-file.
Baghdadi appointed Qardash to run the terrorist group's day-to-day operations in August this year, according to a statement by Amaq, the Islamic State's press agency.
Qardash was the heir-apparent after his former boss was killed during a raid by US forces in Syria on Saturday night, and "died like a dog," according to President Donald Trump.
Also known as Hajji Abdullah al-Afari, Qardash was born in Iraq's Sunni-majority town of Tal Afar and went on to join the military while Saddam Hussein's regime ruled the country.
