Kosovo ISIS Commander Haqifi Reported Dead in Middle East

Ridvan Haqifi, an Imam from Gjilan/ Gilanje in Kosovo, better known under his nom-de-guerre Al- Kosovi, was reported dead on Wednesday evening and the news was confirmed to Kosovo's public broadcaster RTK by his family, which did not give any details.

Albanians knew more about Ridvan Haqifi after June 2015, when he appeared in an ISIS propaganda video, warning that "black days were coming" to Kosovo.

"You will be frightened and terrified in your dreams as you sleep. We will kill you with the permission of Allah. We will come with explosive belts," Ridvan Haqifi said in Albanian, prompting the country to heighten security measures.

Ridvan Haiqifi joined Islamic State of Syria and Iraq, ISIL, in 2014 and replaced Lavrdim Muhaxheri as a commander of Albanian ISIS/ISIL fighters.

Both he and Muhaxheri were deemed a serious threat to Kosovo on November 2016, after 19 suspected terrorists were arrested within days, suspected of planning terrorist attacks in Kosovo and Albania.

The arrested suspects who according the prosecution planned terrorist attacks in September and October 2016, were all reportedly being coordinated by Muhaxheri and Haqifi.

The prosecution said their targets were international and security institutions, and the aim  was to intimidate the population, destabilize the country and destroy Kosovo's political, constitutional, economic and social order in order to establish an "Islamic State".

Around 100 people have been arrested in Kosovo since September 2014 on charges of active membership of, or affiliation to, Islamist groups including ISIS and Al-Nusra.

More than 50 are currently on trial. The latest estimates from the authorities are that about 300 Kosovo Albanians have joined ISIS and Al Nusra in total...