This is the first time in five years al-Baghdadi is appearing in a video as reports emerged earlier suggesting that the leader of the group was either killed or seriously wounded in counter-terrorism operations.
The Ministry of Defense of Russia had announced in mid-June 2017 that the al-Baghdadi was likely killed in an airstrike in Raqqa city.
In the meantime, the man appearing in the latest ISIS video and purporting to be al-Baghdadi confirms that the battle for Baghouz is over.
The town of Baghouz in eastern Syria was liberated from the terror group in late March.
The man also praises the recent bombings in Sri Lanka besides referencing recent political events, including Benjamin Netanyahu’s victory in Israel’s elections, resignation of Algeria’s president, and fall of Sudan’s president.