WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (UPI) — The Islamic State’s number two leader, Haji Mutazz, was killed earlier this week by a U.S. airstrike in Iraq, U.S. officials said Friday.
U.S. officials describe Mutazz as being second in command to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the BBC reported. Officials believe Mutazz was responsible for financial operations for IS, which is also identified as Daesh and by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL.
Officials said Mutazz was killed Tuesday near Mosul, Iraq. A news release from the Department of Defense says an airstrike hit an IS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle at the same location on that date.
“Coalition airstrikes in and around Bayji and Ramadi [in Iraq] are consistently putting pressure on the leadership of Daesh,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin Killea, chief of staff of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve. “We are constantly restricting their freedom of maneuver and disrupting their ability to successfully counterattack.”
One U.S. official told CNN the strike was based on “actionable intelligence,” meaning the military was aware of Mutazz’s likely presence in the vicinity.
