ISIS Leader Al-Baghdadi 'Still Alive' in Audio Message Urging Supporters to Wage Holy War; ISIS to 'Reach Rome'

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is reportedly still alive after an audio message was posted on the extremist group's social media account. The speaker in the recording claims to be the head of ISIS and dispels rumours that he was critically wounded following airstrikes. The ISIS leader believed to be dead a few days ago declared in the voice recording that U.S.-led coalition forces have failed in their attempts to kill him.

The audio message that lasted for 17 minutes said coalition forces will have to deploy ground troops their "deaths and destruction." The ISIS leader called on the group's fighters and followers to "light the Earth with fire upon all tyrants." Al-Baghdadi mentioned U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to send 1,500 more troops to Iraq to take on advisory roles. He urged ISIS supporters to "explode the volcanoes of jihad everywhere." He called on Muslim supporters to attack and kill "apostates" in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Al-Baghdadi warned that ISIS would soon reach Rome which militants had referred to as the symbol of Europe.

In a report by CNN, Flashpoint Partners senior analyst Laith Alkhouri believes the recording is authentic. He works for a U.S. organisation that monitors extremist Web sites. Alkhouri said the video message was posted in top ISIS-related online forums. He also noted that it was posted by the extremist group's official media handler. He reiterated that the voice in the recording belonged to Al-Baghdadi.

Reports of Al-Baghdadi reportedly hit by U.S.-led airstrikes had circulated days ago but it was not clear where he was in Iraq or if he was seriously wounded. Terror experts believed someone else will take Al-Baghdadi's place if he was incapable of leadership since ISIS has a clear line of succession.

The audio message does not reveal where the recording was made but it contained references to militants in Egypt and Libya pledging allegiance to ISIS. It was also not clear why the message posted was only an audio recording and not a video. The ISIS leader had previously made his first public appearance when he declared himself as the "caliph" in a mosque in Mosul, Iraq last June.

Meanwhile, a Syrian rebel commander and a top-level opposition official told the Associated Press that ISIS and Al-Qaeda leaders were in a meeting at farmhouse in northern Syria. The militant leaders had reportedly agreed to stop fighting one another so they can work together against common enemies.

(Source: YouTube/YouTubeLive)