ISIS leader Hashimi al-Qurashi killed; successor announced 

LEBANON: The Islamic State (ISIS) group on Wednesday said that its leader Abu Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi has been killed in battle and announced a replacement.

Hashimi al-Qurashi is said to have been killed, according to the spokesman for the terrorist group, Abu Omar al-Muhajir, reported Danish media TV2 Play.

Al-Muhajir, an Iraqi, however, without elaborating on the date of his death or the circumstances said that Al-Hashemi was killed in battle in a voice message on Telegram.

Speaking in an audio message, the spokesman identified the group's new leader as Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi.

Abu Hasan al-Hashemi al-Qurashi was named in March as the third leader since IS was founded. It happened after the extremist group's former leader blew himself up in February to avoid being captured by US soldiers.

Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi was named as Islamic State leader after the death of former leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Baghdadi died during an American commando raid on his compound in northern Syria.

ISIS's previous leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi, was killed earlier this year in a US raid in Idlib province in northern Syria.