After five years of unknown detention, the head of the Islamic State reappeared in a video

MADRID.- The head of

Islamic State

Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, has reappeared today in a video published by the terrorist group in which he refers to the recent battle in the Syrian town of Baghuz, confirming that he would remain alive.

The video is the first image of the leader of the Islamic State since the terrorist group released its self-proclaimed "Caliphate" in July 2014 after capturing much of northern Iraq and Iraq. from the east of Syria.

In the recording, published on Telegram by Al-Furqan, the main means of propaganda of the EI, Al-Baghdadi is sitting next to a rifle, bigger and apparently healthy, despite the fact that they often appeared rumors about his situation and even at some point he came to talk about his death.

Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intelligence Group, said on Twitter that the video shows Al-Baghdadi in an informal conversation with other people (their faces are fuzzy). He speaks of the war against the "Crusaders" and the battle of Baghouz, Syria, in reference to the terrorist group's dread in eastern Syria, which he lost on March 23, this which indicates that this interview was shot a little recently. .

The leader insists that ISIL operations against the West are inscribed in a "long battle" and that the jihadist group will "avenge" the members who have been killed.

In the video titled "The hospitality of the emir of the believers", Baghdadi also praises the attackers
the attacks in Sri Lanka, which killed 253 people on Easter Sunday, April 21st.

Al-Baghdadi directly mentions Abu Walid al-Sahraoui, leader of Muyao, a group of Saharan jihadists who played a leading role in the uprising in northern Mali in 2013 and who are still present around Gao.

The head of the Islamic State (IS) congratulates al-Saharawi for his attacks on the French forces and their allies. According to Katz, this marks the most important support of al-Saharawi by IE so far.

Who is Al-Bhagdadi?

Al-Baghdadi, 47, is much more mysterious than all the Islamist leaders who preceded him. Until today, only two photos and a video of the leader were known, and the few witnesses who saw him say that he wears a mask to not be recognized.

We know that his real name is Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badry and was born in 1971 in Samarra, the second city of Iraq, located north of Baghdad. The extremist grew up in a Sufi family, a branch of Islam known for its moderation.

In 2006, Al-Baghdadi joined the organization that later became the Islamic State of Iraq. The IE, at that time, ISIS, became the Iraqi branch of Al Qaeda in October 2006. That was only in May 2010, shortly after the US attack who killed his predecessor, Al-Baghdadi was elected leader of the group. His main goal was to rebuild the organization and extend his power. This is why he took advantage of the chaos that reigns in Syria and joined the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad.

In 2014, the group declared the creation of a caliphate in Syria and Iraq. Only this year, Syrian forces, supported by Russia and the United States, managed to defeat the caliphate.

AFP Agency