New recording suggests ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi is still alive

Purported Islamic State Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — A man purported to be the reclusive leader of the militant Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has made what would be his first public appearance at a mosque in the centre of Iraq's second city, Mosul. Reuters/Social Media Website via Reuters TV

The Islamic State has released what appears to be a recording of its leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. The 46-minute recording seems intended to silence reports of his death.

The date of the recording, believed to be the first communication from the jihadist leader in nearly a year during which the group lost much of its controlled territory in Iraq and Syria, was not clear. It was released through the Al-Furqan news organisation.

Baghdadi praised his soldiers for waging a battle in Mosul. “They fulfilled their promise and their responsibility, and they did not give up except over their skulls and body parts,” he said in the recording, which was disseminated to Islamic State supporters.

Baghdadi reportedly made reference to North Korean threats against the United States. He also accused the American-backed troops of using scorched-earth tactics, according to a translation provided by the SITE Intelligence Group. His last recorded speech was issued in early November 2016, two weeks following the beginning of the battle for Mosul.

By that time, he urged his followers to fight the “unbelievers” and “make their blood flow as river.” US-backed Iraqi forces have since defeated IS in Mosul.

Earlier this year, Russia’s defence ministry said Baghdadi may have been killed when one of its air strikes hit a gathering of senior IS commanders. However, Washington reportedly said it could not confirm the death. Officials believe it might take years to kill or capture Baghdadi as he was believed to be hiding in thousands of square miles of sparsely, news.com.au notes.

A US counterterrorism chief warned that ISIS’ ability to “reach globally is still largely intact.” Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Nick Rasmussen said “there is not, in fact, a direct link between Isis's battlefield position in Iraq and Syria and the group's capacity to inspire external attacks.”

As he was speaking to the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Rasmussen said he expected the group to become a “covert operation” that will still conduct or inspire global attacks. "It's simply going to take longer than we would like to translate victory on the battlefield into a genuine threat reduction,” he said, according to Independent.

Other groups like al Qaeda pose a threat as well. Rasmussen further warned that aviation is still a target for both groups. Recently, there was a failed attempt to bomb an aircraft in Australia.