US kills ‘high-valued’ target believed to be ISIS leader Baghdadi: Reports
October 27, 2019, 9:05 am

US kills ‘high-valued’ target believed to be ISIS leader Baghdadi: Reports

A file photo of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. (Supplied)

The US military has killed a "high-valued target" in Syria believed to be ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Newsweek and Fox News reported on Sunday citing a top US Army official.

Citing sources familiar with the operation, Newsweek reported that members of the Joint Special Operations Command received “actionable intelligence,” which led them to carry out a special operations raid targeting the ISIS leader in Syria's northwestern Idlib province.

A senior Pentagon official told Newsweek that the compound where al-Baghdadi was located in the Barisha village in Syria's Idlib was taken out with an airstrike. Turkey, a NATO ally backing local insurgents, was not notified prior to the operation, the official added.

The state Iraqi News Agency cited security sources as saying that eight US helicopters targeted al-Baghdadi's hideout early Sunday.

CNN cited a US defense official as saying that al-Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest during the raid. They also reported that the final confirmation as to whether al-Baghdadi was actually targeted is pending while DNA and biometric testing is conducted.

Two of al-Baghdadi’s wives were also killed during the US raid after detonating their own explosive vests, Newsweek reported citing Pentagon sources.

President Donald Trump reportedly approved the operation nearly a week before it took place.

Meanwhile, Reuters on Sunday cited two Iranian officials as saying that Iran was informed by sources in Syria that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed.

"Iran was informed about Baghdadi's death by Syrian officials who got it from the field," one of the officials told Reuters. The second Iranian official confirmed it.

Reuters also reported that Iraq was informed by sources in Syria that the ISIS leader was killed, citing two Iraqi security sources.

“Our sources from inside Syria have confirmed to the Iraqi intelligence team tasked with pursuing Baghdadi that he has been killed alongside his personal bodyguard in Idlib after his hiding place was discovered when he tried to get his family out of Idlib towards the Turkish border,” one of the sources told the news agency.

On Saturday, Trump had tweeted without further explanation, “Something very big has just happened!”

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley had said late on Saturday that Trump plans to make a “major statement” at the White House at 9 a.m. EST (1300 GMT) on Sunday.

Later on Sunday, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi tweeted, “Successful, historical operation due to a joint intelligence work with the United States” in apparent reference to reports of ISIS leader al-Baghdadi's death.

https://twitter.com/MazloumAbdi/status/1188366280908333057

With a $25 million US bounty on his head, al-Baghdadi is the world’s most wanted man, responsible for steering his chillingly violent organization into mass slaughter of opponents and directing and inspiring terror attacks across continents and in the heart of Europe.

ISIS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, while in Syria, it lost its last territory in March, marking the end of the terrorists’ self-declared caliphate.

Despite these battlefield defeats, ISIS sleeper cells have continued to launch attacks in both Iraq and Syria.

Last April, a propaganda video released by the extremist group’s al-Furqan media network showed a bearded man purporting to be al-Baghdadi sitting cross-legged on the floor, and giving an 18-minute address. This would have been the first appearance of al-Baghdadi since 2014, when he spoke at the Great Mosque in Mosul.

In the video, al-Baghdadi referred in the past tense to the months-long fight for Baghouz at the time, ISIS’s final bastion in eastern Syria.

ISIS in Syria

Trump has faced withering criticism from both Republicans and Democrats alike for his US troop withdrawal from northeastern Syria, which permitted Turkey to attack America’s Kurdish allies.

Many critics of Trump’s Syria pullout have expressed worries that it would lead the ISIS militancy to regain strength and pose a threat to US interests. An announcement about Baghdadi’s death could help blunt those concerns.

Trump was expected to make the statement in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room, which he has used to make a number of major announcements.

ISIS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, while in Syria, it lost its last territory in March, marking the end of the terrorists’ self-declared caliphate.

Despite these battlefield defeats, ISIS sleeper cells have continued to launch attacks in both Iraq and Syria.

In the video, al-Baghdadi referred in the past tense to the months-long fight for Baghouz at the time, ISIS’s final bastion in eastern Syria.

Trump was expected to make the statement in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room, which he has used to make a number of major announcements.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.