IS group names successor to al-Baghdadi --------------------------------------------- The so-called Islamic State militant group has confirmed the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and named a successor, identified as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi --------------------------------------------- Right: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died in U.S. military raid near Barisha in Syria on Oct 27 --------------------------------------------- Above right: Hajj Abdullah, aka Mohamed Said Abdelrahman al-Mawla --------------------------------------------- Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi: Name of new leader could refer to leading IS figure Hajj Abdullah – identified by U.S. Department of State as possible al-Baghdadi successor --------------------------------------------- Hajj Abdullah, also known as Mohamed Said Abdelrahman al-Mawla, was senior figure in IS predecessor group Al Qaeda in Iraq --------------------------------------------- U.S. government says al-Mawla helped to “drive and justify the abduction, slaughter and trafficking” of Yazidi religious minority in northwest Iraq in 2014 – atrocities recognised as genocide by UN --------------------------------------------- Other possible successors: Saudi Abu Abdullah al-Jizrawi, Iraqi Abdullah Qaradash – one of al-Baghdadi’s right-hand men – and Tunisian Abu Othman al-Tunisi --------------------------------------------- Analysts say Baghdadi’s death could cause IS to fragment, leaving new leader with task of rebuilding militant group as fighting force --------------------------------------------- IS named new spokesman as Abu Hamza al-Quraishi following death of Abu Hassan al-Muhajir (right) in joint U.S. operation with Kurdish forces in Jarabulus --------------------------------------------- TURKEY Jarabulus Barisha SYRIA Damascus JORDAN IRAQ 200km 125 miles --------------------------------------------- Sources: AP, CNN, Reuters Pictures: AP, Rewards for Justice, YouTube © GRAPHIC NEWS