Founder of ISIS Media Outlet Killed in U.S. Airstrike
A U.S.-led coalition airstrike reportedly killed the founder of the Islamic State's (ISIS) propaganda organ. Rayan Meshaal and his daughter were blown away inside their home in al-Mayadin city in the eastern Syrian province of Deir al-Zor, as announced by his younger brother on Facebook.
"I'm pleased to announce the martyrdom of my older brother Baraa Kadek, known as Rayan Meshaal in an air strike by the coalition," the post read on Facebook. The 31-year-old Meshaal founded Amaq News Agency 2014 which was used by ISIS used to claim responsibility for more than a dozen attacks.
Amaq also has a website and an Android app. Aside from the news service, ISIS also relies on social media to share information and videos of its killings. The group also publishes its weekly Al-Naba magazine and has an official radio station, Al Bayan, which distributes daily news bulletins.
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Washington has yet to confirm the development, but Rita Katz, director of the U.S.-based SITE monitoring service, announced Meshaal's death via Twitter. Syrian activist outlets Halab News Network and Qasioun news agency also reported the incident on Wednesday.
Meshaal is the second high-ranking ISIS propagandist killed. In March, the coalition claimed to have taken out Ibrahim Al-Ansari during an airstrike in western Iraq. He was considered an "important ISIS leader" for being the top man of the group's propaganda machine.
Al-Ansari was the key to ISIS' propaganda output which served as a vehicle to attract foreign recruits, lure women to become jihadi brides, brainwash children and incite so-called "lone wolves" to stage terror attacks against American and Turkish nationals in the West.
Some of the activities and atrocities publicized by the group through its media arm include footages of children called "Cubs of the Caliphate" executing spies, detonating car bombs and training at military camps. It also showed videos of western hostages being executed.
