Who was Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and why is his death important?
Self-declared caliph was operational leader of Isis and symbol of its Islamic credentialsFull report: Trump confirms Baghdadi killed in US raidLiveblog: Trump announces Isis leader’s death
by Michael Safi
Oct 27, 2019
2 minutes
Who was Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi?
Baghdadi is thought to have been born in the central Iraqi city of Samarra in 1971. Though a weak student, whose poor eyesight disqualified him from joining the Iraqi military, he rose to command al-Qaida’s Iraqi division and then broke away to form Islamic State (Isis).
In July 2014, shortly after Isis said it had established a
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days