Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi speaking in a mosque in Mosul after the group took over the city in June 2014. File photo
Notorious ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is currently hiding in the mountainous area of Abu Rujmayn southeast of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, an Iraqi intelligence official revealed on April 27, according to al-Khaleej.
Abu Rujmayn is a part of the Homs desert, which lays between eastern Homs and western Deir Ezzor. The desert is considered the last ISIS stronghold in Syria.
The Iraqi official said that al-Baghdadi, who is currently surrounded by few loyal fighters from Iraq, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, is trying to enter Iraq.
“The reason al-Baghdadi is planning to enter Iraq is because the number of his supporters in Syria has decreased,” the source said, who claimed that this information was taken from people close to al-Baghdadi, who were arrested recently.
The ISIS leader has failed to cross into Iraq so far due to the strict Syrian and Iraqi security measures in the border area, according to the Iraqi official.
These claims are in line with a recent report of the Asia Times. The report, that was released on March 28, says that al-Baghdadi is currently hiding in the Homs desert, which is besieged by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies.
“Certainly he is still alive, he did not participate in any battle and was not close to any battlefield … The ISIS security detail that guards Baghdadi knows that keeping the Caliph alive is more important than maintaining the Caliphate,” Hisham al-Hashemi, a Baghdad-based terrorism expert, told the Asian outlet back then.
Last year, Huthaifah al-Badri, a son of al-Baghdadi, was killed by the SAA, while he was participating in an “Inghimasi” attack in the vicinity of the Homs desert. This further supports the claims of the Iraqi officials and the Asia Times.
If al-Baghdadi is indeed hiding in the Homs desert, he will likely be killed or even captured by the SAA and its allies soon. The army is conducting intense combing operations around the desert currently.
‘If al-Baghdadi is indeed hiding in the Homs desert, he will likely get killed or even captured by the SAA and its allies soon. The army is conducting intense combing operations around the desert currently’. But at the end of this article SouthFront (https://southfront.org/isis-releases-photo-report-confirming-recent-attacks-on-syrian-army-in-homs-desert/) you state that the SAA have NOT undertaken measures to get rid of Daesh cells in the desert?!
So how many of sufyanis army has been swallowed up by the desert?
What they are drinking in the desert, what they are eating in the desert…..Maybe the have Aladdin’s lamp – that is the only explanation….
There is water in the desert, if You only need it for drinking Yourself.
Food is much different, but You can store a lot like wheat for bread and dryed fruit and nuts. The usual explanation is, that they rob supplies from the villages and hamlets and there is not many ISIS soldiers, but all are vetetarans.
We just have seen pictures of several cars taken by ISIS. Iam sure there is food, water, ammo, clothe, anything to take for supply.
People also are wrong naming big areas as Homs desert and Syrian deserts. Actually great parts are very dry dryland and not as hostile as some one think.
I agree with you, but still so much problems and so much casulties from SAA and more then one year this problem exsist…. Why russians couldnt help with satelite observations .. they can fix the problem..but…
I am sure the russians helps all they can. I also have seen many Syrian troops has smaller local drones.
But I also see Russia today is more limited then ever. Its very expensive having som many troops in Causus and close to Ukraine.
They also try to restructure to modern warfare. They do have results, but only missiles can be sold, so they have no military capasity apart from hitting hard and then leave out of ammo – as they do in Idlib right now.
The almost empty areas are so big, so its quite difficult to see it in our brains. Here we would we say finding people well – and ISIS – its worse then finding a needle in a haystack.
The best would be, there was a non war in Idlib, so Assads could use troops from there, but then the other there might feel they had chances to change things.
Your English lexicon is so much better this week ,Jens. :)
Have you been having lessons, or did you wake up after a near death experience with the knowledge of an alter ego ?
Or is it that you are more lucid when you are pissed ?
The Americans will Chopper Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi a.k.a Elliot Shimon out of Syria for relocation soon…no Problemo…Been there…Done that…easy as one…two & three…U.S.I.S.I.S.-Air Force
That’s true.
Its time for the Russian specialists to shut down communications over the Homs desert and for the Russian air defences to enforce a No Fly Zone. Shoot down all interlopers, including Black Hawk choppers with no markings :)
I have long believed that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is associated either with Mossad or CIA.
That’s why he’s had so many miracle escapes.
That’s why they never catch him, and often don’t even know where he is.
And, of course, we know that his ISIS never, never attacks Israeli targets or fat Saudi Prince targets.
Those would in fact be the targets of choice for a genuine jihad movement. Not people in Syria or Iraq.
ISIS has always been fraud, a complex and deadly one, but a fraud.
Its not forbidden to believe. I dont believe that at all and believe in that. I see no facts for Bagdadi still should be alive.
Most of the rest is mainly crap. USA for a period did support ISIS hard as the last possibility to tilt Assads. That becam a nemesis.
CIA went into Iraq and paid off the Sunni tribes to stop bombing Americans with IED’s and to offer them their own Sunni-stan to serve as a Saddam-like bulwark against the Iranians. I thought everyone knew that. Its a fact. The CIA guy in charge of the program was on 60 minutes.
Saudi Arabia is the home of Wahhabi Sunni Islam, the ‘inspiration’ of ISIS, and it facilitates their payments and arms. He claims to represent those ‘Rebels’ or jihadists. CIA / Mossad are his acknowledged control associates.
Exactly right.
bagdadi is the guy that Imam AlMahdi(as) has appointed to stand for him(as) while all the countries are in hot pursuit.
Arab Baathism has to return to Iraq and make it a great country again!
they’ve been there all along as puppet controllers of ISIS (via CIA/Mossad).
The Mossad/CIA operative will bring the war to Iraq now, so the Sunni’s can have western Iraq as well as eastern Syria, the original plan. Eventually, Israel’s border will extend to the Euphrates, as planned, unless they”re stopped by all-out war.
Hiding out at the pool of the Tel Aviv Hilton.
Just like Bin Laden lived comfortably in Pakistan, the country that created and supported the Taliban that previously sheltered Bin Laden, I suspect that this buffoon lives comfortably in Turkey. The country that freely traded with ISIS, bought the oil it stole from the people of Syria and led new ISIS recruits pass through its territory. And since ISIS still has a sleeper network in SDF territory this buffoon is still of some use to the Turks.
By the grace of Allah he must be captured alive if its it’s TRUE that he’s hiding in Syria, The Russian and the Iranian special force must created a task force and go after this devil worshipe. he must be capture and televised then hang.
He’s got more chance of being in Turkey than anywhere else I think. Why would he live so harshly in the deserts of Syria or Iraq, when his mate Erdogan has plenty of cosy establishments nearby in Turkey, and I’m sure they’d be safe and secure too. I think everyone’s looking in the wrong direction, but the Kurds aren’t, they’ve been keeping an eye open, they’re starting to suspect president Erdogan hasn’t completely ended ties with Isis and something’s possibly going on, I do too.
He could also be in Saudi Arabia or one of the other Gulf countries. We will find out where he is when the US needs a media event and kills him live on Seal Team TV..
The Arab league have been clamping down on any of its member countries that have anything at all to do with Isis [the exception being Qatar], and the Saudis were clamped down on the hardest and punished. And to make up for their past errors [and at the request of the Arab League], the Saudis have been active in Turkey for at least 12 months now, trying to expose Erdogan’s complicity with Isis, so I personally think Saudi Arabia is the last country on earth he’d be hiding out in right now. I actually think he’s somewhere near the Syrian border in Turkey, most likely holed up in a small settlement somewhere between Jarabulus and Elbeyli. I know you don’t like my constant conjecture, but do you really believe the media narrative concerning the murdered journalist Khasshogi, that for me translated into, the Saudis got caught out trying to expose Erdogan’s dealings with Isis, and instead had the tables turned on them. It’s possible the Saudi’s may even have been set up to commit that atrocity, and then were exposed for something the Turks had full knowledge of, and even possibly encouraged and enabled, and with intel assistance from either the Russians, or possible even the Israelis. But secret assistance that is, assistance the Saudis would never ever know about, or the rest of the world, due to Erdogan’s damming complicity which would inhibit him exposing anyone else. I suspect Putin was the real brains behind that sting, he has more reason to protect Erdogan than the Israelis do, they actually want Erdogan out of Syria, as well as out of office full stop, but Putin doesn’t, so my finger is pointing his way.
“We will find out where he is when the US needs a media event and kills him live on Seal Team TV”. I think it’s more likely the Turks will kill him on national TV somewhere in Turkey, but only after he’s served his purpose, then Erdogan will turn on him and turn it into a publicity stunt for political purposes.
Trump has elected to go with Taliban and wipe out IS entirely, I can say for sure Taliban will be hostile to Iran and all Shi’ia everywhere, of course so is Brother Baghdadi, but that is in the hands of Allah, at the moment the arch-reactionary opposition to the Christian Crusade is al-Qaeda supporting bin. Salman, I know they have their offices in Doha, but that doesn’t mean much.
If al-Qaeda begin unipolar recruitment an awful lot of Muslims will be attacked.
“I can say for sure Taliban will be hostile to Iran and all Shi’ia everywhere”
And I guess that means Afghanistan will stop buying electricity from Iran.
I’m glad you are so sure, because the fools in Washington say they cooperate.
https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/iran-taliban-tactical-alliance/
https://thediplomat.com/2018/11/managed-instability-iran-the-taliban-and-afghanistan/
Those articles are not relevant, King Abdullah’s departure changed many things, I don’t even think Hibatullah Akhundzada would even shut down the opium industry, let alone be worried about electricity.
IS has been air lifted from Syria and Iraq to Afghanistan by the US for a reason, the most recent public statements by official Iranian spokes persons are for Ashraf Ghani Government not to be left out of negotiations taking place in Qatar, Ghani Gov. is controlling about half of Afghanistan.
Trump is signalling compliance with Taliban demands to leave them out of the peace process entirely in exchange for a small face saving US presence to remain in Afghanistan.
Brother Baghdadi seems to be alive and well today, he could have announced this to stymie Trump taking control of his organizorgan and blending it into al-Qaeda, which is Trump’s obviously intention now al-Bashir of the Sudan is gone, if Sudan goes to civilian rule this will be a massive blow to al-Qaeda, UAE and Prince bin. Salman.
Iran’s two offshore highest priorities are Yemen and Palestine