Pentagon: Daesh Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is Still Alive, in Charge
Local Editor
Daesh [ISIS/ISIL] chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is alive despite numerous attempts on his life, the Pentagon confirmed.
Rumors swirled earlier this month that the terror group's leader had been killed after activist group the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in London, reported that senior Daesh figures had gathered for an emergency meeting in Iraq.
At the time it was speculated that he might have been killed, although this was never officially confirmed.
But Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told CNN that US security agencies "do think Baghdadi is alive and is still leading" the terrorist group.
"We are obviously doing everything we can to track his movements," he said. "If we get the opportunity, we certainly would take advantage of any opportunity to deliver him the justice he deserves," he said.
"We're doing everything we can. This is something we're spending a lot of time on."
Earlier this month the US doubled the bounty on Baghdadi's head to $25 million.
The self-declared leader has been careful to reveal little about himself or his whereabouts. The only known video footage of him was taken in 2014, when he gave a sermon in Mosul.
In November he released a defiant audio message, calling on his followers to defend the Iraqi capital.
It is not clear if he is living in the besieged city, where he declared his caliphate in 2014.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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