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Aussie jihadist death toll rises to 87

The number of Australian jihadists killed in Syria and Iraq has risen to 87 according to senior government official.

Islamic State jihadists.
Islamic State jihadists.

The number of Australian jihadists killed in Syria and Iraq has risen to 87 according to senior government officials, with two believed to have been killed in missile strikes in the past two weeks.

A senior government source said while they were not confirmed kills, the number of probable deaths among Australians fighting for Islamic State had “very” recently been revised up.

Another senior intelligence source said there had been a ­recent escalation in casualties as Islamic State continued to lose territory to Iraqi forces and Coalition airstrikes.

“The number of Aussies ­assessed to have been killed in the conflict has very recently been ­revised up by two — possibly up to 87,” the source said. “These are not confirmed deaths, but an upwards revision, by two, of total number of Australians possibly killed in the conflict.”

The recent deaths follow the claimed killing of notorious Australian Islamic State fighter Khaled Sharrouf. However, intelligence agencies are cautious about confirming he was killed in an airstrike in Syria because of the unreliability of intelligence on the ground in the conflict zone.

Lebanese authorities said last week that a Sydney teenager had given up details of Australian Islamic State fighters, financiers and supporters after being caught on his way to join the group in Syria in recent weeks.

According to Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, the 18-year-old man was in contact with Islamic State operatives while in Lebanon, and was subject to ­“extensive and persistent investigation and surveillance” before his arrest.

He is also alleged to have ­become ­attracted to Islamic State while in Australia, watching prop­a­ganda videos and keeping track of the group’s now-waning fortunes on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria.

He allegedly used his trip to Lebanon as a cover for his plan to join Islamic State in Syria.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/aussie-jihadist-death-toll-rises-to-87/news-story/382354258c6bae5661c1e913f69ae6fe