June 16 (UPI) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said Friday it is investigating whether a Russian airstrike killed the Islamic State's top leader.
A May 28 airstrike on a suburban Raqqa, Syria, command post killed as up to 30 leaders and 300 troops in the militant group also identified as Daesh, ISIS and ISIL. Reclusive leader Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi was present "and was eliminated in the strike," the ministry said. It added that the information "is being verified via different channels."