This frame grab from a video posted online on March 18, 2019, shows ISIS fighters carrying the group’s flag inside Baghouz, Syria. (File photo AP)

Intelligence services have identified the new leader of ISIS group as Amir Mohammed Abdul Rahman al-Mawli al-Salbi, British newspaper The Guardian reported on Monday.

The paper, citing officials from two unnamed spy services, described him as one of the terrorist group’s founding members and said he had led the enslavement of the Yazidi minority in Iraq.

It said he also oversaw operations around the world.

The organization had named Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi as its new head just days after its previous leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed in a raid by US special forces in October.

But some analysts suggested the group were caught off guard by al-Baghdadi’s killing and that the true identity of its new leader remained uncertain.

The Guardian said al-Salbi was selected within hours of the death and that al-Quraishi was a nom de guerre not recognized by other senior leaders or intelligence agencies.

The newspaper described him as “a hardened veteran in the same vein as Baghdadi, unflinching in his loyalty to the extremist group.”

It said he was born into an Iraqi Turkmen family in the town of Tal Afar and is one of the few non-Arabs among the group’s leadership.

Holding a degree in Sharia law from the University of Mosul, he rose through its ranks in part thanks to his background as an Islamic scholar, the paper added.

Al-Salbi gave religious rulings that underwrote the attempted genocide of Yazidis by ISIS, it said.

In 2004 he was detained by US forces in Camp Bucca prison in southern Iraq where he met al-Baghdadi, according to The Guardian report.

source: AFP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”