Factbox-Islamic State loses second leader in two years

FILE PHOTO: A view of the old city of Mosul and buildings destroyed during past fighting with Islamic State militants, in Mosul, Iraq February 1, 2022. REUTERS/Khalid al-Mousily

The death of its second leader in just over two years has dealt another blow to Islamic State, the extremist jihadist group which once ruled large parts of Iraq and Syria.

But major attacks in both countries last month show it still poses a threat