Alsumaria News, quoting a source on the ground Sunday, has claimed that one of the inner cadre of remaining Daesh leaders, Abu Qutaiba, was burned alive over charges of sedition, cited by the Iraqi News.
Abu Qutaiba was reported to have been arrested in the town of Tal Afar, officially for charges of "stirring sedition," after performing a prayer sermon in which he suggested that al-Baghdadi had been killed.
Qutaiba's remarks and subsequent punishment have thrown fuel on the fire of growing suspicions with sheltered Daesh factions that al-Baghdadi indeed was killed by a Russian airstrike. The knowledge has apparently been deemed damaging to what remains of the beleaguered Daesh movement as it is beset by attacking anti-terrorism forces.
Alsumaria's local source asserted that a punishment of 50 lashes was to be applied to anyone who questions Baghdadi's survival, a move intended to hold off simmering leadership conflicts, according to Iraqi News.
On Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, announced the defeat of Daesh and confirmed the death of Baghdadi. Russian intelligence sources had previously said reports of al-Baghdadi's death were correct.
