Islamic State loses another leader

The leader of the Islamic State group, Abu al-hassan al-hashimi al-qurayshi, was killed in battle recently, the group’s spokesman said in audio released Wednesday. He gave no further details.

Al-qurayshi is the second ISIS leader killed this year at a time when the extremist group has been trying to rise again with cells carrying out deadly attacks in Iraq and Syria. Its affiliate in Afghanistan also has claimed attacks that killed dozens in recent months.

The U.S. military said alqurayshi was killed in midoctober, adding that the operation was conducted by Syrian rebels in Syria’s southern province of Daraa. It wasn’t clear why the announcement was made Wednesday, more than a month after al-qurayshi was killed.