The Islamic State group on Tuesday said that Jihadi John was killed in a drone strike in the Syrian city of Raqqa in November last year. The terror group reportedly confirmed the news in its English-language online magazine Dabiq.
The United States military had last year said that it was "reasonably certain" that Jihadi John, a British citizen born as Mohammed Emwazi in Kuwait, was killed in an airstrike in November. However, there was no proof to it then.
Dabiq, referring to Emwazi as Abu Muharib al-Muhajir in the magazine, confirmed that he was killed on 12 November, 2015.
"On Thursday, the 29th of Muharram, 1437 (Nov. 12, 2015), AbÅ« MuhÄrib finally achieved shahÄdah (martyrdom) for the cause of Allah, which he had sought for so long, as the car he was in was targeted in a strike by an unmanned drone in the city of Raqqah, destroying the car and killing him instantly," Reuters quoted an excerpt from Dabiq.
The article described Emwazi as a "martyr" and an "honourable brother" who was known for his "mercy and generosity". It prayed to "Allah... to envelop him with His mercy and enter him into the highest levels of al-Firdaws (paradise)", AFP reported.
Emwazi became infamous after videos of him executing innocent people in the name of jihad started to surface online in August 2014. The jihadist in black mask appeared in different videos beheading US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, US aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, and Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.
These deeds of his were described as "harshness towards the kuffar (disbelievers)" by the magazine.
"His harshness towards the kuffar (disbelievers) was manifested through deeds that enraged all the nations, religions, and factions of kufr, the entire world bearing witness to this," AP cited an excerpt from the magazine.
The magazine also reportedly mocked the British intelligence and said Emwazi left for the Middle East from the UK despite warnings against doing so.
"One particular agent said to him, 'You're not going anywhere. We are going to be on you like a shadow.' The joke would eventually be on him..." NBC News reported, citing Dabiq.
"Right under the nose of the much-overrated MI5 British intelligence agency, Abu Muharib together with his companion in hijrah carefully and secretly made their departure, utilising every means available to them," the magazine said.
