Rumors of al-Baghdadi the leader of ISIL being wounded or killed in an air attack seems to be unfounded with today’s rally cry he made to his supports world wide. In fact he is laying out his ground campaign and the countries he is going to target next he also challenges the US to send the best they have and he will defeat them.
Some of what he said follows: (He seems to be giving a state of the union address as to his accomplishments and future plans. Noted is the first target of Saudi Arabia and then announcing the additional countries who have sworn allegiance to him. If any one thinks he is going away or this is going to be a short fight they are very disillusioned.)
IN HIS WORDS: Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called for attacks against the rulers of Saudi Arabia in a speech purported to be in his name on Thursday, saying his self-declared caliphate was expanding there and in four other Arab countries.
Al-Baghdadi also said a U.S.-led military campaign against his group in Syria and Iraq was failing and he called for “volcanoes of jihad” the world over.
According to US Military sources the recording appears to be al-Baghahi and means he survived the attack on ISIL leadership. Reports from Iraq commanders who had said he was wounded in a raid last Friday appears to be inaccurate as some in the past have been.
Al-Baghdadi urged supporters in Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, to take the fight to the rulers of the kingdom, which has joined the U.S.-led coalition in mounting air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria.
“O sons of al-Haramayn…the serpent’s head and the stronghold of the disease are there…draw your swords and divorce life, because there should be no security for the Saloul,” Baghdadi said, using a derogatory term to refer to the leadership of Saudi Arabia.
Haramayn is a reference to the two holiest places in Islam, both of them in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has been massing thousands of troops on the border with Iraq as well as military support equipment and air assets since Islamic State began an offensive in Iraq in June.
The speech was not dated but carried a reference to a Nov. 7 U.S. announcement that President Barack Obama had approved sending up to 1,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq. Obama has said the United States aims to degrade and eventually destroy Islamic State.
Islamic State has seized swathes of Syria and Iraq and in June declared a caliphate over territory it controls. Baghdadi said he had accepted oaths of allegiance from supporters in Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Algeria.
“We announce to you the expansion of the Islamic State to new countries, to the countries of the Haramayn, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Algeria,” Baghdadi said.
Although supporters have pledged allegiance to Islamic State in countries including Lebanon, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Baghdadi singled out only those five states, picking countries where sympathizers have a strong base and could mount attacks.
He added, however: “Oh soldiers of the Islamic State…erupt volcanoes of jihad everywhere. Light the earth with fire against all dictators.”
Referring to U.S.-led military action against his group, Baghdadi said: “Despite this Crusade campaign being the most fierce and severe of all, it is the greatest failure.”
“We see America and its allies stumbling in fear, weakness, impotence and failure.”
Referring to Yemen, where Shi’ite Houthis captured the capital Sanaa in September, forcing the government to resign, he said: “Oh soldiers of Yemen…be harsh against the Houthis, they are infidels and apostates. Fight them and win against them.”
Baghdadi also congratulated supporters in Egypt’s Sinai for starting jihad against what he called the “dictators of Egypt”. He also urged supporters in Libya, Algeria and Morocco to prevent secular groups from ruling.
After Baghdadi’s speech, Egyptian militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which swore allegiance to Islamic state this week, changed its name to Sinai Province on the Twitter feed claiming to represent it.
He seems very up and positive but the question is will our president pick up the mantel he was given as leader of the free world and most powerful nation, and use it to quickly bring al-Baghdadi to his end.
Until next time Be Safe.
Phil
