ISIS publicizes photos of militants swearing allegiance to new leader

DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – Islamic State Organization (ISIS) publicized on Monday through close media outlets photos of its militants in Syria for the second time during this week.

ISIS-run Amaq news agency said the photos presented militants swearing allegiance to the “ISIS new Caliph” Abu al-Hassan al-Hussein al-Qurashi after the former leader was killed.

On December 2, ISIS publicized photos for its militants carrying weapons nearby an armored vehicle in Syria days after Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) suspended its operations against the organization due to the recent Turkish escalation in the SDF-held areas.

Since November 20, Turkish forces have carried out hundreds areal and ground attacks along the border strip north and northeast Syria, targeting civilians, military personnel of the SDF and the Syrian government forces in addition to striking infrastructures.

On Nov. 30, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the death of the ISIS leader, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Daraa Governorate, southwest Syria.

Earlier on the same day, the organization’s media affiliate al-Furqan aired an audio by the group’s spokesman Abu Omar al-Muhajer, announcing the death of al-Hassan al-Hashimi.

The recent photos showed the militants dressing in ISIS style with explosive belts inside a room with ISIS slogans hanged against walls.

While the previous photos presented ISIS militants with four-by-four vehicles, and light and heavy weapons.

A few days ago, Amaq news agency publicized photos for the group’s militants in each of Egypt, Uganda, West Africa and Iraq, swearing allegiance to the new Emir of the organization.

On December 5, ISIS claimed responsibility for an operation against a checkpoint held by the SDF in the northern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, east Syria, killing an SDF fighter.

Reporting by Hatem Bashar