Daesh terrorist group chief Baghdadi’s video surfaces

cairo — Daesh leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi has exhorted militants across the world to wage attacks against the West and to keep fighting in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.

The message released on Thursday was his first purported audio communication in almost a year during which his militant group lost much of its self-proclaimed “caliphate”.

The audio came after several reports Baghdadi had been killed. His last recording was in November 2016, two weeks after the start of the battle to recapture the city of Mosul from Daesh.

“Oh Soldiers of the Caliphate, fan the flames of war on your enemies, take it to them and besiege them in every corner, and stand fast and courageous.”

“Beware of retreat, or the feeling of defeat, beware of negotiations or surrender. Do not lay down your arms,” Baghdadi said, referring to followers.

The date of the 46-minute recording, released via the Al Furqan news organisation, was not clear.

But in it, Baghdadi makes an apparent reference to recent events including North Korean threats against Japan and United States and the recapture two months ago of Mosul by USbacked Iraqi forces. —