IS supreme leader flees Mosul, hides in the desert

US and Iraqi officials believe that the supreme leader of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) organization, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has secretly left the city of Mosul.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in his only public appearance on July 3, 2014

US and Iraqi intelligence sources said that the lack of official statements by IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi recently and the loss of much territory in Mosul indicate that he has left the insurgents' largest stronghold in Iraq, Reuters reported on March 8.

The source also said al-Baghdadi did not have much of an entourage and was hiding in the desert, focusing mainly on protecting himself. Through surveillance efforts, US intelligence believes al-Baghdadi is being hidden by local communities near Mosul.

US and Iraqi officials admit that determining al-Baghdadi's whereabouts is extremely difficult because he rarely uses means of communication that can be monitored and moves continuously on a 24-hour cycle.

In late December 2016, Iraqi special forces commander General Fadil Barwari announced that Baghdadi was trapped in Mosul.

Kurdish officials believe the mounting pressure from the coalition offensive in Mosul is forcing Baghdadi and other IS leaders to move around to hide.

According to VNE