Islamic State leader survives coup attempt as jihadist group unravels

ISLAMIC State leader Abu Bakr al-Bagh- dadi has survived an attempted coup, it was reported last night.

The jihadist group has now placed a bounty on the head of the IS fighter who plotted against him.

It comes as the outfit faces elimination in its struggle to maintain a grip on the last sliver of land they control in eastern Syria.

The coup took place on January 10 in a village near Hajin in the Euphrates River valley. According to sources, the attempted coup led to a shootout between foreign fighters and al-Baghdadi’s bodyguards. Two people were killed and al-Baghdadi was spirited away to nearby deserts.

IS is now offering a reward to the person who kills Abu Muath al- Jazairi – believed to be a veteran foreign IS fighter. He is thought to be a key plotter, but has not been directly accused.

On Wednesday US President Donald Trump said territory held by IS could be ‘100 per cent’ liberated as early as next week.