Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, 'mastermind of Islamic State in Iraq,' reportedly killed

BAGHDAD, April 17 (UPI) -- Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a supporter of the Islamic State and former army commander under the Saddam Hussein regime, was reportedly killed Friday in a military operation in Iraq.

Al-Douri was dubbed the King of Clubs by the United States in its deck of most-wanted Iraqis during the Iraqi War. The former Baath Party leader subsequently led the Naqshabandi Army, a Sunni militant group that has aligned with the IS.

An official in Salahaddin described al-Douri as a "mastermind of Islamic State in Iraq" and said his death would be detrimental to the terror group.

According to Iraqi media, the 73-year-old al-Douri was killed near the northern town of Hamreen in Erbil Province.

The circumstances and location of his death are unclear. Kurdish media reported al-Douri died as a suicide bomber with others during an altercation with Iraqi forces in Tikrit.

Iraqi officials noted that DNA testing will be done to confirm.