Russia claims ISIL leader dead with 'high degree of certainty'

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday there was a "high degree of certainty" that ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in Russia-led airstrikes last month, RIA news agency reported.

According to Reuters, Moscow indicated last week its forces may have killed the secretive extremist leader, but Washington said it could not corroborate the death and Western and Iraqi officials were also skeptical.

ISIL gained global prominence in early 2014. This group has been designated a terrorist organization by the UN and many countries. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was added to the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) by the US State Department in 2011.

(CGTN)