ISIS leader urges Iraqis to defend Mosul as group loses ground

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – As Iraqi forces enter the outskirts of Mosul an audio recording purportedly released by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Thursday has called upon Iraqis in the city to fight the incoming army. 

“Holding your ground with honour is a thousand times easier than retreating in shame,” the voice on the recording said. 

“Do not retreat, this total war and the great jihad only increased our firm belief, God willing, and our conviction that this is all a prelude to victory,” it added. 

The voice called on the people across Nineveh to fight against what it called the “enemies of God.” 

Aside from calling on its followers to fight for Mosul the recording also called on supporters and sympathizers of ISIS to attack other countries and “turn the nights of the unbelievers into days, to wreck havoc in their land and make their blood flow as rivers.” 

The 31-minute long recording has also called on ISIS supporters to “unleash the fire of their anger” on Turkish forces fighting them in Syria since August 24 and compelled them to take the war to Turkey itself. 

“Turkey today entered your range of action and the aim of your jihad … invade it and turn its safety into fear,” the voice on the recording said. 

If authenticated the recording would be the first released by the ISIS leader in a year and would confirm that he hasn’t been killed, as previously rumoured. 

Kurdish officials believe that Baghdadi is still in Mosul, which is presently under bombardment by the US-led coalition and under attack on the ground by Iraqi Special Forces, who liberated the Mosul neighbourhood of Gogjali on Wednesday. 

If Baghdadi is killed or captured during this battle it could damage the organization and undermine its morale at a critical time.