IS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was also killed in 2019 by US forces.
It is understood the deceased leader died in October, with the announcement only being made public now.
“[Islamic State] remains a threat to the region,” the US Central Command said in response to the news, according to the Associated Press.
“Centcom and our partners remain focused on the enduring defeat of [IS].”
IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, and then in Syria in 2019. However, the group has recently stepped up attempts to carry out attacks in both nations.
Meanwhile, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi has already been confirmed as the terror group’s new leader.
“He is one of the veteran warriors and one of the loyal sons of the Islamic State,” al-Muhajer said.
Earlier this year, gruesome details emerged regarding the death of former leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, with Joe Biden slamming the IS leader’s decision to blow up his own compound after it was surrounded by American troops as “cowardly”.
He was among 13 people – including four children – who died after US commandos surrounded the home in Atmeh in northwest Syria.
The team called on everyone to exit the building, and a couple and their children living on the first level emerged and were taken to safety.
Moments later, the top floor erupted with an explosion, tearing off half of the structure but leaving the level below intact.
US forces began moving in, but a couple on the second floor barricaded themselves in their residence and began firing on them.
When the dust settled, the leader of Islamic State was dead, but he had taken 12 others down with him.
– with Rohan Smith
