Russia's Defense Ministry has said it is verifying reports whether the Islamic State terrorist group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed by a Russian airstrike on the southern outskirts of Syria's Raqqa in late May.<br/><br/>The ministry said in a statement that the airstrike was carried out overnight on May 28 against a command post, where the IS group's leaders were meeting to discuss the routes for the terrorists' exit from Raqqa through the so-called southern corridor.<br/><br/>According to information, which is being verified via different channels, the meeting was also attended by the IS leader Ibrahim Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was eliminated in the strike, said the ministry. Baghdadi's whereabouts have been unknown for some time, although he was believed to be in Mosul in Iraq before a US-led coalition began an effort to reclaim the city in October 2016.