Several top Islamic State leaders are thought to be dead, and the leader of IS has been reported wounded, after a targeted US-coalition airstrike attack on a house on the Iraq-Syria border.
The leader of IS in Anbar province, as well as that leader’s deputy, are though to be killed. IS top commander Abu Bakr al Baghdadi was among the militants targeted, and Iraqi officials have reported that the leader was wounded during the attack, but the extent of al Baghdadi’s injuries are not known.
The senior IS leaders were meeting in a house in al-Qaim, on the Iraq-Syria border.
Coalition planes fired two missiles into the central area of al-Qaim.
After the bombing, militants reportedly evacuated a hospital nearby and called out for blood donors over loudspeakers. All roads in the area were blocked. TV channel Al-Hadath reported that dozens of people were killed and wounded in the strike.
The Pentagon has not admitted having any information about the strike, or of the wounding of al Baghdadi.
By James Haleavy