US Reports: ISIS Minister of War ‘Omar the Chechen Has Died

United States officials have confirmed that one of ISIS’ chief commanders ‘Omar the Chechen’ has died.

The bearded Georgian born warlord Omar al-Shishani is believed to have died from the injuries he sustained after a US airstrike targeted him on 4th March.

Shishani, who’s real name is Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili had been on a US terrorist list entitled “Specifically Designated Global Terrorists” and had a $5 million bounty on his head. US officials have labeled his position as the “equivalent of the secretary of defence” for ISIS.

He fought against Russian forces as a Chechen rebel before joining the Georgian army in 2006. However, in 2010, he was sentenced to three years in a Georgian prison for illegally harboring weapons. In 2013 he was appointed ISIS Northern commander and according to an interview on a Jihadist website he said: “I promised God that if I come out of prison alive, I’ll go fight jihad for the sake of God”.

This is not the first time that ‘Omar the Chechen’s’ death has been reported. Since 2014, media outlets have reported his death no less than ten times. According to the Twitter account @islamicworldupd,  ISIS have denied reports of his death.