Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
The leader of the terrorist group “Islamic state” (IG, is prohibited in Russia), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi addressed his supporters with a speech in which he admitted defeat in the recent fighting. It is reported by Al Sumaria, citing its own sources.
In a statement addressed to close the preachers, the leader of ISIS called on them to continue the fight by moving the bases and strongholds in mountainous and remote areas of Iraq and Syria.
The source also said that senior operatives have already fled from the besieged Iraqi army Mosul towards the Iraqi-Syrian border.
Earlier on March 1, the commander of the Federal police of Iraq RAID Shair Gaudet reported that terrorists are increasingly surrounded by government troops, and their commanders are leaving the areas of Mosul that are still under their control.
At the same time it became known that the units of the Iraqi army took control of the last major road on which the Islamists would withdraw its troops and equipment from the city.
Mosul is the unofficial capital of ISIS in Iraq. The ground phase of the operation to liberate the city began on 17 October 2016. It involved units of the regular army of the country, the Kurdish militia and the formation of Shiite volunteers. The US-led international coalition has upcoming air and artillery support.