Leader of Islamic State Group Releases New Audio Message

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group (ISIS), called for attacks on Saudi Arabia and claimed that his Islamic caliphate is expanding throughout the Arab world. According to Reuters, the leader of this group, in a message attributed to him on Thursday, November 22, called for a 'volcano of jihad.' Al-Baghdadi's audio message was released following conflicting reports about a U.S. airstrike on November 16 targeting ISIS leaders in Iraq and news of their leader being injured. The U.S. stated on Tuesday that it could not confirm whether Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed or injured in the attacks near Fallujah. The audio message does not have a specific date but references statements made by U.S. officials on November 16. On that day, President Barack Obama announced that he had agreed to send an additional 1,500 troops to Iraq. In his audio message, al-Baghdadi referred to Saudi leaders in derogatory terms, stating: 'These sons of the two holy places are the head of the serpent and the source of disease... Draw your swords from their sheaths and bid farewell to life. There should be no security for the 'Al Saud.' The Islamic State group, which has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria, declared a caliphate in June in the areas under its control. Al-Baghdadi claimed to have accepted the oaths of loyalty from his followers in Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria. In this audio message, he urged his followers: 'O soldiers of the Islamic State, ignite a volcano of jihad everywhere. Light the earth with fire from all directions.' Al-Baghdadi, referencing the military attacks by the U.S.-led coalition, stated: 'Although this crusade is more severe and harder than all wars, it is their greatest defeat.' The Associated Press also reported that the leader of the Islamic State promised to continue fighting until the last person. This 17-minute audio recording, which has poor quality and was released on Thursday, is the first public statement from the leader following the airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition on its positions in Iraq and Syria. Al-Baghdadi stated: 'God has commanded us to jihad. That is why the soldiers of the Islamic State fight... They will never stop fighting even if only one soldier remains. They will not stop fighting because they do not submit to humiliation.' It has been reported that another audio recording attributed to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi inspired radical Islamists in Algeria to behead a French hostage.