This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
On October 31, 2019, the world learned of the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, in a raid by American forces in northern Syria.
Four days later, the Islamic State confirmed his death and announced his successor, Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi, in a statement released through its propaganda arm.
The announcement was reported by the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors the online content of the Islamic State and other extremist militant groups, on their Twitter account.
According to the announcement, Mr. al-Qurayshi is the new 'emir of the believers' and 'caliph,' a title that indicates he is considered to have been descended from the Quraysh tribe of the Prophet Muhammad.
Mr. al-Baghdadi, 48, led the Islamic State for years, and his death came eight months after American-led forces in Syria seized the last remnants of the territory once held by the group.
