ISIS leader thought dead reportedly resurfaces in new recording
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Rumors have been circulating about whether a U.S. air strike last week killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State.
But a new recording, released on Thursday by jihadi site al-Furqan media, allegedly includes a speech by Baghdadi, leading many to wonder if he is still alive. The 17-minute recording includes a voice, believed to be Baghdadi's, calling for "volcanoes of jihad" and ISIS attacks in Saudi Arabia — and the speech also mentions recent events that took place after his alleged death (the timing of the recording is still unclear, however).
While The Guardian notes that it's still unclear whether the speaker in the recording is indeed Baghdadi, "his voice, articulation, and tone all appeared close to his prior speech patterns."
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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
