Pro-Terrorist Horde Invades New York City to Disrupt Biden's Swanky Fundraiser
Occupied Gaza
PolitiFact Fact-Shifting for Biden, the Press Loses With a DeSantis Win, and MSNBC...
Go Touch Some Grass
Biden Administration Locking Up Public Lands from West to East
Jon Stewart, the Tribeca Trickster of Real Estate
Only Democrats Get to Lie on NBC News
Donald Trump: The Non-PC Candidate
Ronald Reagan: The Man Who Cut Taxes From 70 to 28 Percent
Republicans Thwart Democrat Scheme to Raise Gas Prices
The Future Looks...Old?
Not Exactly Something Normal
Senate Judiciary Committee Should Prioritize Main Street Over Wall Street with Free Market...
Some Unpleasant Truths About Islam and the West
DNC Holds 'Emergency Call' As Dems Panic Over RFK Jr.'s VP Pick
Tipsheet

Leader of the Islamic State 'Seriously Wounded in Air Strike'

Finally, some good news out of Iraq: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, has been seriously injured during an airstrike by the US-led coalition last month, a source told The Guardian.

Advertisement

Initially the injuries were life threatening; ISIS leaders even made plans to name a new leader fearing Baghadi would die. But he has since made a slow recovery, though is not well enough to resume control over day-to-day operations.

Two separate officials – a western diplomat and an Iraqi adviser – confirmed the strike took place on 18 March in the al-Baaj a district of Nineveh, close to the Syrian border. There had been two previous reports in November and December of Baghdadi being wounded, though neither was accurate.

The diplomat confirmed an air strike on a three-car convoy had taken place on that date between the village of Umm al-Rous and al-Qaraan. The attack targeted local Isis leaders and is believed to have killed three men. Officials did not know at the time that Baghdadi was in one of the cars.

Hisham al-Hashimi, an Iraqi official who advises Baghdad on Isis, told the Guardian: “Yes, he was wounded in al-Baaj near the village of Umm al-Rous on 18 March with a group that was with him.”

Baghdadi is understood to have been spending much of his time in al-Baaj, about 200 miles west of the Isis stronghold of Mosul. “He chose this area because he knew from the war that the Americans did not have much cover there,” said a source privy to some of Baghdadi’s movements. “From 2003 (the US military) barely had a presence there. It was the one part of Iraq that they hadn’t mapped out.”

Advertisement

If Baghdadi were to die, how would that change the terror organization?  While that is certainly up for debate, the air campaign has forced the group's command and strategic decision-making to be done by other leaders, even though Baghdadi has authority as a religious leader, according to the Gaurdian report. And those military and Shura councils have played an increasingly active and important role since his recent injuries. 

Nevertheless, Laith Alkhouri, director of Middle East and North Africa research for Flashpoint Intelligence, cautioned after speculation that he was killed late last year that the "ideology wouldn't die with him."

 

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement