Pentagon: Islamic State finance minister killed in Syria

WASHINGTON, March 25 (UPI) -- A U.S. airstrike in Syria killed the man regarded as the Islamic State's second in command, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said Friday.

Abd al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli -- also known as Haji Imam and several other aliases -- died in an airstrike earlier this week, Carter said at a Pentagon briefing.

The death of al-Qaduli comes after another top IS commander Omar al-Shishani, known as "Omar the Chechen," was killed in early March by a U.S. airstrike against the organization also identified as Daesh, ISIS and ISIL.

The State Department offered a bounty of up to $7 million for information on al-Qaduli, saying he was "designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist ... for acting for or on behalf of ISIL" in 2014 by the Treasury Department.

"We are systematically eliminating ISIL's cabinet," Carter said, adding "Striking leadership is necessary but as you know it's far from sufficient. As you know leaders can be replaced. These leaders have been around for a long time. They are senior and experienced, and eliminating them is an important objective and result. They will be replaced and we will continue to go after their leadership."