IS confirms its media chief was killed in a US airstrike

The Islamic State group (IS) has confirmed the death last month of one of its most senior leaders, Abu Mohammed al-Furqan.

He was minister of information for the group, and oversaw the production of propaganda videos showing executions.

A statement posted online did not say when, where or how he had died.

The Pentagon last month said an air strike killed him near Raqqa in Syria on 7 September.

He was among the few remaining founding members of IS, and had reportedly played a leading role in setting up the jihadist group’s key media outfits, including Amaq news agency, and in launching its multilingual magazines, such as Dabiq.

Born Wa’il Adil Hasan Salman al-Fayad in Iraq, his nickname ‘al-Furqan’ is thought to be derived from his reported role in running al-Furqan Media Foundation – IS’s long-standing media arm.