IS spokesman and leader Adnani ‘killed in Aleppo’

Hours after the announcement, there was no official confirmation of Adnani’s death, though the Pentagon said he had been the target of U.S. air strikes on Tuesday in the al-Bab region of northern Syria.

“According to information confirmed through several intelligence channels, field commander Abu Mohamed al-Adnani was among those killed”, the statement said.

ISIS said Tuesday that Adnani, 39, “was martyred while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns against Aleppo”.

Earlier, Washington said US-led coalition forces had also targeted Adnani in an air strike, but the Pentagon was still assessing the result.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Wednesday that Washington had no information “to support Russia’s claim”.

He was also a founding member of the Islamic State militant group and believed to be in line for the group’s top leadership role, now held by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Moscow claimed credit Wednesday for killing ISIS’ spokesman and chief strategist in an airstrike.

Lister said the IS announcement of Adnani’s death described him as Qurayshi – referring to the tribe to which Islam’s Prophet Mohammed belonged – in an indication of his importance.

In a rare public statement, ISIS confirmed al- Adnani death.

Two American officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence, said a United States military drone had hit a vehicle Mr. Adnani was thought to be traveling in, following a close collaboration between the Central Intelligence Agency and Special Operations forces to track him.

Some analysts believe Adnani was being prepared to be a potential successor to Baghdadi if the Islamic State leader were to be killed. Despite this, they insist they have total certainty that Russian Federation didn’t manage to kill him in their own airstrikes.

Earnest said Adnani “has been a leading proponent of a strategy that encourages individuals to carry out lone wolf attacks around the world”, and that he played an active role in recruiting support for Islamic State.

In an airstrike conducted in the area of Maaratat Umm Hawsh on Tuesday, the Su-34 targeted a group of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) fighters numbering about 40 people, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

A USA defense official called Adnani “one of ISIL’s most senior leaders”, stressing that he was “way more” than simply the group’s spokesman.

“It would be amusing if not for the character of the campaign the Russians have undertaken in Syria”.

Regardless of who killed Al-Adnani, his death would be a blow to the Islamic State.

In June 2014, he formally declared the establishment of the IS caliphate stretching across parts of Syria and Iraq under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.