Islamic State's chief song-writer killed in airstrikes: Report

Washington, Jul 15: Islamic State's chief song- writer, known for penning jihadi hymns that are regularly played as background music in the terror group's videos, has been killed in airstrikes in Syria, according to a media report.

Maher Meshaal, also known as Abu Hajar al-Hadrami, a Saudi National, was killed Saturday in airstrikes south of the city of Al Hasaka in eastern Syria, CBS NEWS reported citing supporters of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Meshaal is the author of jihadi hymns such as "Saleel al-Sawarem" and "Halomoo Halomoo O' lions of war," which are regularly played as background music in combat and execution videos released by ISIS.

Songs such as "Saleel al-Sawarem" celebrate "martyrdom" of ISIS jihadists. After spending five years working as an Islamic chant singer and later a mosque imam in Riyadh, Meshaal joined the Islamic State in April 2013, according to an earlier report in the Saudi Gazette.

He reportedly participated in the celebrations of pledging allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.

The US has intensified its airstrikes in Iraq and Syria over the weekend. It has been pounding Hasaka and surrounding areas where ISIS has a stronghold. On June 25, ISIS seized two southern neighbourhoods in Hasaka from pro-government forces, who share control of the city with Kurdish militia.

PTI