ISIS releases purported message from leader, urging fighters to keep carrying out attacks

The Islamic State released a 30-minute audio recording on Monday, purportedly made by its elusive leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

SITE Intelligence, a monitoring group, said Baghdadi uses the recording to encourage fighters to free ISIS detainees and their families being held in detention camps. Their efforts "must be redoubled," he directed the militants, and they should attack judges and interrogators questioning ISIS members. Baghdadi also brought up the United States, saying the country is "drowning in a quagmire" and losing troops in conflicts around the world.

It's unclear when the recording was made, but SITE says Baghdadi refers to events that took place in August. There is a $25 million reward for Baghdadi's capture, and Iraqi intelligence officials believe he is hiding somewhere along the border between Iraq and Syria. In April, video footage of Baghdadi was released, the first time he was seen on film in nearly five years.

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ISIS is no longer in control of large portions of Syria and Iraq, but is still carrying out attacks in the countries, and has money and fighters to spare, authorities warn. The Pentagon's Office of Inspector General sent a report to Congress in August, saying the group's resurgence is linked to the Trump administration taking troops out of Syria and removing diplomats from Iraq, The Wall Street Journal reports.