Islamic State confirms ‘Jihadi John’ death

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Islamic State group's propaganda magazine has confirmed the British militant known as Jihadi John died in a drone strike in November.

The group published an obituary for the jihadist, whose real name was Mohammed Emwazi, in its online magazine Dabiq, according to BBC News.

In November the U.S. military said it was "reasonably certain" it had killed him in the IS-stronghold of Raqqa.

Emwazi appeared in beheading videos of victims including UK aid worker David Haines and taxi driver Alan Henning.

In the eulogy, Kuwaiti-born Emwazi is referred to as Abu Muharib al-Muhajir, his nickname in the group and the details of his death confirm the U.S. version of events.

The jihadist group said Emwazi was killed on Nov 12 "as the car he was in was targeted in a strike by an unmanned drone in the city of Raqqa, destroying the car and killing him instantly". A smiling picture of the militant, who appears unmasked looking towards the ground, accompanies the text, which is written in tribute form to a man they describe as an "honorable brother".

Emwazi first emerged in Aug 2014 when he appeared masked in a video in which U.S. journalist James Foley was apparently murdered.

Dubbed "Jihadi John" by the media, he was identified as Emwazi, a computer programming graduate who grew up in London, in Feb 2015.

He also appeared in videos of the beheadings of U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff, Haines, Henning, as well as American aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, also known as Peter, and Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.

He became a top target for U.S. and British intelligence agencies, even though he is thought to have played no military role within IS.

At the time of his reported death in November, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said targeting Emwazi had been "the right thing to do". He said the UK had been working with its U.S. allies "literally around the clock" to track Emwazi down.

Three drones - one British and two American - were involved in the strike. One of the American drones hit the car, and it is believed there was one other person in the vehicle.