Turn the dark night of the infidels into day, destroy their homes and make rivers of their blood.”The last time Mr. Baghdadi addressed his followers was in a recording released Dec. 26. His silence since then has led to persistent rumors that he had been wounded or killed. Mosul’s fall to the Islamic State in June 2014 was the group’s most impressive territorial gain. But others, including Hassan Hassan, the co-author of a book on the Islamic State, wrote, “I don’t think it’s significant.” Nineveh, which Mr. Baghdadi does mention, “is also the name of the overall operation in northern Iraq,” Mr. Hassan said. As the Islamic State grew in prominence, Mr. Baghdadi’s appearances grew more rare, as did his audio recordings, fueling unsubstantiated reports that he had been wounded or killed.

Source: New York Times November 03, 2016 03:06 UTC