PHOTO: Islamic State fighters inside Mosul (File)
Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has issued a rare audio message to tell fighters to die rather than retreat before the Iraqi-Kurdish offensive on Iraq’s second city Mosul.
In the 30-minute audio, Baghdadi’s first since December, the self-declared caliph maintained that he is “confident of victory”, as he told the fighters that “holding your ground in honor is a thousand times better than retreating in disgrace”.
See also Iraq Audio Analysis: Will the Islamic State Fight for Mosul?
Iraq Analysis: A Beginner’s Guide to the Battle for Mosul
Baghdadi warned of an ISIS response through attacks in countries like Turkey and Saudi Arabia. He issues a sweeping criticism of the Islamic State’s foes:
God’s enemies from the Jews, Christians, atheists, Shiites, apostates and all of the world’s infidels have dedicated their media, money, army and munitions to fight Muslims and jihadists in the State of Nineveh [the Mosul region] after they witnessed it become one of the bases of Islam and one of its minarets under the Caliphate.
He told his followers, “You need to be one and united in your fight against your enemy. You should seek to raise the word of God on Earth.”
Baghdadi has only made one public appearance. In July 2014, a month after the Islamic State’s capture of Mosul, he gave a sermon to declare the caliphate and proclaim himself Caliph Ibrahim.
On Tuesday, the first Iraqi special forces entered the eastern outskirts of Mosul, about 7 km (4 miles) from the center. Kurdish forces are 5 km from the city limits to the north.
While the Iraqi army and federal police are still 30 km (19 miles) to the south, Shia militias have joined the battle on the western front, attacking near Tal Afar, 55 km (35 miles) from Mosul.
See Iraq Feature: Mosul Offensive — Fighting on Eastern Outskirts
