Daesh posts 46 minute ‘new Baghdadi tape’
The Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) has released an unverified audio recording that it said was by its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who called on the armed group’s followers to “resist the infidels”.
In the 46 minute recording, a voice similar to that of the Daesh leader discusses the current rhetoric between the US and North Korea.
The tape which was released by Al-Furqan news organization, was the first time the world has heard from the jihadist leader since November 2016, when the last speech was released. It’s unclear when the recording was created.
But there’s some evidence it was recorded recently.
In the tape Baghdadi refers to the “nearly year-long fight for Mosul”, from which Daesh was ousted in August after nearly 10 months of fighting. He also referenced fights for Hamas in Syria, where a push in recent weeks by Iranian-led soldiers has ousted the terror group from much of its stronghold in countryside to the east of Syria’s third city.
He also referred to North Korean “nuclear threats to America” and “Russia taking control” of the Astana peace process between the Syrian opposition and regime. Both matters have been headline news throughout the year, but the North Korean standoff has been particularly potent in recent weeks.
“The fighters in Mosul refused to surrender the city at the cost of their flesh and blood,” said Baghdadi. “Only after a year of fighting.”
The last time he appeared was to preach at the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul after Daesh overran the city and a “caliphate” was proclaimed.
Asked about the audio, a spokesman for US forces fighting Daesh, Ryan Dillon, said “without verifiable evidence of his death, we have continued to assume that he is alive”.
