Devil in His Cave: Daesh Leader is in Iraq's Mosul Amid Operation to Retake City

The leader of Daesh terrorists could be in the embattled Iraqi city of Mosul right amid the operation to retake it.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Daesh leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi is reportedly in the Iraqi city of Mosul amid the advance of Iraqi forces in the fight against terrorists who are controlling the city.

#ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is believed to be inside Mosul according to information obtained from #Iraqi commanders — #Rudaw reporter.

— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) 3 ноября 2016 г.

Earlier in the day, media reported that Baghdadi had released an audiotape, on which he called on Iraqis to defend Mosul against the Iraqi army, which has been trying to to retake it from the militants. He also called on Daesh supporters "to unleash the fire of anger" against Turkish forces fighting Daesh in Syria.

Baghdadi's official whereabouts remain unknown, and various reports emerged about his injures or death.

On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of a military operation to recapture Mosul from Daesh, which is outlawed in Russia, with the help of airstrikes by the US-led international coalition. According to media reports, about 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were initially taking part in the operation.