The leader of the world's most dangerous terrorist group has reportedly been seriously wounded in an airstrike in western Iraq, Martin Chulov at The Guardian reports.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the shadowy figurehead of the Islamic State (also known as ISIS, ISIL, and Daesh), "suffered serious injuries during an attack by the US-led coalition in March," according to Chulov's sources.
Two officials, one Western and one Iraqi, confirmed to The Guardian that the airstrike targeted multiple cars in the town of Baaj in northwestern Iraq on March 18.
The Pentagon has denied the report. Defense officials told The Daily Beast that the air strike was not aimed at a high-value target and that they "have no reason to believe it was Baghdadi." They said there was no evidence then or since then that Baghdadi was killed.
Chulov reports that officials didn't know that Baghdadi was in one of the cars targeted in the airstrike. He was reportedly staying in that area of Iraq because he "knew from the war that the Americans did not have much cover there," a source who is aware of Baghdadi's movements told The Guardian.
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