ISIS names new leader after confirming death of former chief

A spokesperson for Islamic State has named a new leader after confirming that its previous head, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, was killed in north-western Syria over a month ago.

An IS spokesman used an audio message to say that Abu Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi had been chosen as the new leader.

There has been no immediate information shared about the new leader and it hasn’t been revealed whether he is Iraqi like his two predecessors, both killed in rebel-held parts of Syria.

Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was killed during an overnight raid by US special forces on 3 February.  US officials said he blew himself up along with members of his family as American forces raided his hideout in the north-western Syrian town of Atme, near the Turkish border. The group’s former spokesman, Abu Hamza al-Qurayshi, was also killed in the raid.