Russian ForMin: high degree of certainty IS leader is dead - RIA

A man purported to be the reclusive leader of the militant Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has made what would be his first public appearance at a mosque in the centre of Iraq's second city, Mosul, according to a video recording posted on the Internet on July 5, 2014, in this still image taken from video. REUTERS/Social Media Website via Reuters TV

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday there was high degree of certainty that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was dead, RIA news agency reported.

Moscow said last week its forces may have killed the secretive Islamic State leader, but Washington said it could not corroborate the death and Western and Iraqi officials were sceptical.