Abstract: This article explores what is known regarding the Islamic State's leaders since the killing of the group's second caliph Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (conventionally dubbed "al-Mawla" for shorthand) in February 2022. In contrast with the group's first caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the organization has publicized little information on his successors, who have released no audio messages of their own. Despite the fact that the group's caliphs are now very much 'men of the shadows,' there is little evidence pointing to the prospect of the group's fragmentation in Iraq, Syria, or elsewhere around the world, with the group's affiliates seemingly willing to accept successor caliphs about whom little or nothing is publicly known.
On August 3, 2023, the Islamic State's al-Furqan Media publicized a teaser announcement of a forthcoming speech by one "Abu Hudhayfa al-Ansari," described as being the spokesman for the Islamic State. Considering that the previous spokesman was one "Abu Omar al-Muhajir" and the group had said nothing until then about his fate, it was predictable that the speech was going to announce that something had befallen its spokesman, and possibly its caliph as well.1 Sure enough, Abu Hudhayfa announced that the previous spokesman had been taken captive, and that the group's caliph Abu al-Husayn al-Husayni al-Qurashi had been killed. He also announced that a new caliph—Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi—had been appointed in Abu al-Husayn's place, continuing a line of faceless caliphs. Despite the fact that these caliphs are shrouded in a veil of obscurity, the group insists that its fighters and Muslims around the world declare allegiance to them.
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