Indonesia investigates reports that most senior Southeast Asian Islamic State commander has been killed in Syria
More than 600 Indonesians, including at least 166 women and children, travelled to Syria to join IS, according to data from Indonesia’s counterterrorism agency
Indonesia is investigating reports from Islamic State (IS) supporters that the most senior Southeast Asian commander of the militant group was killed by US air strikes in eastern Syria last week, counterterrorism officials said.
Online messages from IS propagandists say Bahrumsyah, an Indonesian national, died after US air strikes hit Hajin, north of the Syrian city of Abu Kamal, last Tuesday.
A spokesman for Indonesia’s foreign ministry, Arrmanatha Nasir, said the embassy in Syria had made enquiries but had yet to confirm Bahrumsyah’s death.
Two senior Indonesian counterterrorism officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were taking the online reports seriously.
“We are in the process of investigating,” said one senior official with Indonesia’s counterterrorism agency.
If the reports were true, it would become a “motivation to carry out reprisal attacks” in Indonesia, the senior official said.
A Pentagon spokesman, Eric Pahon, said US aircraft were bombing the “general area” in eastern Syria on the day Bahrumsyah is believed to have died but was unable to confirm his death.