Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group is still alive and hiding “somewhere in the desert by the Euphrates River.” This information was presented on Tuesday by Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, nominated by US President Donald Trump for the post of head of the Central Command (CENTCOM) of the US Armed Forces.
The US commander said “I think he is a very frightened man (Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi) fleeing somewhere in the desert by the Euphrates River,” said MacKenzie, responding to a question from Senator Bill Nelson about what is the latest information about Baghdadi.
In addition, the lieutenant general expressed confidence that Baghdadi, who should now be 46 years old, and incapable of organizing new attacks, since he has to spend all his strength and energy to stay in hiding. “I’ll just note: while you’re worried about whether you can survive the next hour or so, it’s hard to make a conspiracy to carry out attacks in Detroit,” said Mackenzie.
Baghdadi’s fate and whereabouts are not known for certain. According to a number of Middle Eastern publications, he had long lost control of the ISIS grouping. According to one version, the terrorist leader suffers from a severe form of lung cancer, while others state that he is bedridden due to a severe injury.
The last time Baghdadi appeared in public was in July 2014, when he declared the creation of a “Caliphate” in the Middle East during Friday prayers in Iraqi Mosul.
