US Military Official: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is Losing Control Over ISIS Forces

On Thursday, the spokesperson for the US-led international coalition stated that with the progress of the battle in Mosul, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS), is losing control over his forces. An audio file attributed to al-Baghdadi was released yesterday, in which he urged ISIS forces to resist in the 'full-scale' battle for Mosul and not to retreat against government forces. According to AFP, Colonel John Dorian, spokesperson for the US-led coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, said that although the military has not officially confirmed the authenticity of the audio file, it is clear that ISIS leaders are trying to communicate with their forces. Dorian added that a key point in the English translation of this audio message was that al-Baghdadi tells his forces not to fight among themselves. Such statements are made by a leader who has lost control and the ability to keep his forces united. We believe that such statements are not effective or impactful. Reports about al-Baghdadi's health have circulated, but despite this, it is unclear where he is currently located. The territory controlled by ISIS has significantly decreased since 2014, and Iraqi forces have now entered the city of Mosul, engaging in combat with ISIS forces in the streets. Dorian emphasized that the US-led coalition does not know where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is. The coalition spokesperson stated, 'If we knew where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was, we would target him, but we do not know where he is now.' The operation to liberate Mosul began on October 17, and since then, Iraqi army and police forces, along with Kurdish Peshmerga, have been advancing towards Mosul from the southern, eastern, and northern fronts.