Slain reporter Sotloff’s parents thank Trump, troops for ‘eliminating’ IS chief

The parents of Steven Sotloff, a Jewish journalist who was beheaded by Islamic State terrorists, say they are glad that the terror group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is dead.

“The Sotloff family is thankful to President Trump, our brave US special forces and all involved intelligence allies for pinpointing and eliminating ISIS leader al-Baghdadi without suffering any US military casualties,” said Shirley Sotloff, reading from a statement on Sunday, as her husband stood beside her in front of their home.

“While the victory will not bring our beloved son Steven back to us, it is a significant step in the campaign against ISIS.”

US President Donald Trump recalled Sotloff by name, as well as three other American ISIS victims, during his announcement of the death of Baghdadi.

Trump called the Sotloff family following his news conference on Sunday morning.

Sotloff was kidnapped in August 2013 after crossing into Syria from Turkey and was killed on September 2, 2014. IS posted a video showing the beheading. American journalist James Foley had been similarly killed a month earlier by the terrorist group.

Sotloff, 31, was a native of Miami and grandson of Holocaust survivors who held dual Israeli citizenship.

— JTA