IS reclusive leader rallies followers

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

1971: Born Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri in Samarra, Iraq. Grows up in religious family, studies Islamic Theology in Baghdad

2003: Joins emerging Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) insurgent group following U.S.-led invasion of Iraq

2005: Captured by U.S. forces in Iraqi city of Fallujah and held at Abu Ghraib and Camp Bucca detention facilities. Released after ten months

2010: Emerges as leader of Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) – formed in 2006 as successor to AQI – after group’s top two commanders are killed in U.S.-led airstrike

2011-13: U.S. places $10 million bounty on Baghdadi’s head over series of bomb attacks in Iraq. Fighters loyal to Baghdadi cross into Syria to exploit power vacuum created by civil war. ISI becomes Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham/the Levant (ISIS/ISIL)

2014: ISIS proclaims “caliphate” after capture of Iraqi city of Mosul. Group becomes Islamic State (IS)

2016: Mounting military pressure begins to roll back IS territorial gains

Sep 2017: After several reports of his death, IS releases alleged audio tape of Baghdadi urging jihadists to keep fighting – first such recording since Nov 2016. IS chief has not
been seen in public since July 2014


Raqqa: Former IS capital
TURKEY
Mosul
IRAQ
Deir al-Zour
SYRIA
Samarra
Fallujah
Baghdad
Euphrates River valley: Where U.S. believes Baghdadi may be hiding 
IS territory as of Sep 18, 2017
100km 60 miles


Sources: BBC, Reuters Pictures: AP, U.S. Department of Justice 
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