ISIS Releases YouTube Video Showing 10-Year-Old 'Martyr' Allegedly Killed in Battle
A 10-year-old member of the ISIS terror group has been reportedly killed while fighting in the Middle East. Going by the name Abu Obadya al-Abassi, ISIS posted a video on YouTube Wednesday announcing his death.
The YouTube video has garnered over 75,000 hits as of Friday morning and depicts photos of the boy, but no tangible confirmation of his demise, according to The Jerusalem Post.
"It should be noted that there is no independent confirmation regarding the authenticity of the clip which was posted on YouTube showing the boy dressed in military fatigues and carrying weapons," the Post reported.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Those who've watched the clip have expressed "disgust over the use of children in warfare," it continued.
ISIS was formed last year from the group al-Qaida in Iraq and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. They have garnered international attention for their atrocities in Northern Iraq and civil war torn Syria.
Known as the "Cub of Baghdadi," the 10-year-old al-Abassi was a native of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
For its part, Saudi Arabia's top religious official has denounced ISIS, calling them in recent statements enemies of Islam and civilization.
Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh issued the statement in August via the Saudi Press Agency.
"Extremist and militant ideas and terrorism which spread decay on earth, destroying human civilization," said al-Sheikh, "are not in any way part of Islam, but are enemy number one of Islam, and Muslims are their first victims."
It is believed, though unconfirmed, that both al-Abassi and his father were killed in an airstrike by the United States as fighting continues.
News of the death of the Cub of Baghdadi comes as U.S. forces have launched airstrikes over the city of Kobani, which is located on the Syrian-Turkish border.
"The fight for the town situated near the Turkish frontier has become a major early test for the co-ordinated campaign aimed at degrading and destroying the terror group," reported Fox News.
"U.S. officials hope it could pull Turkey into the battle against the Islamic State as a means to opening up a new front, but also fear the country might stand aside and let two of its enemies, the Kurdish fighters and the Islamic State group, fight for the town."
