ISIS issues recording it says is al-Baghdadi

The Islamic State on Thursday released a recording of a speech said to be by its leader, potentially contradicting rumors of his death in a recent airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition seeking to destroy the extremist group.

The audio address is purportedly to have been given by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-styled “caliph” of the militant organization. It was issued by the group’s media arm.

In the recording, the speaker vows that the militants “will never leave fighting, even if only one soldier remains.”

The speech is the first purported message from Baghdadi, known as Caliph Ibrahim to his followers, to emerge since Iraqi government officials reported that he may have been killed or seriously injured in one or more U.S. airstrikes late last week. U.S. Central Command acknowledged conducting strikes against a gathering of Islamic State leaders, but did not confirm that Baghdadi was believed to be among those present.

It was not clear whether the address was recorded before or after last week’s airstrikes.

Los Angeles Times