After almost a year of radio silence, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, the leader of the notorious terrorist group ISIS, resurfaced to address his followers and recruits and told them to keep the fight for Islam going.
In a 55 minute long Eid al-Adha message titled “Give Glad Tidings to the Patient”, Baghdadi urged his followers to wage lone wolf attacks in the west and continue Jihad. “Carry out an attack that breaks their heart, and rip them apart,” he said. “Either with gunfire, or a stab to their bodies, or a bombing in their countries, and do not forget about running people over on the roads.”
Although it has not yet been officially confirmed that this was indeed Baghdadi, especially since there were rumors that he had succumbed to injuries after an airstrike, this message does follow a pattern quite similar to his other messages.
The terrorist leader made no mention of the fact that the ISIS had lost almost 95% of their control in the region, but did acknowledge that they had lost significant momentum in their war. He said ““Seditions and hardships [are] increasing to their darkest night being cast over the people of Islam.” He focused largely on criticizing and condemning America, saying that it had lost much of its influence thanks to efforts by ISIS.
This speech come shortly after the US military, along with its allies, mobilized forces to once again attack an IS controlled region near the Iraq border in Syria. Despite several efforts, it is unlikely that IS will be completely wiped out anytime soon. They have been rebuilding themselves, and still have a stronghold in the war torn region.
A long war ahead indeed, with such terrorist outfits.