IS cancels 50-lash punishment, lifts ban on bringing up Baghdadi’s death
A man purported to be the reclusive leader of the militant Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has made what would be his first public appearance at a mosque in the centre of Iraq’s second city, Mosul, according to a video recording posted on the Internet on July 5, 2014, in this still image taken from video. REUTERS/Social Media Website via Reuters TV
Tal Afar (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State has raised the ban on tackling the issue of the survival of the group’s supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , in west of Mosul.
“IS militants has lifted the ban on Baghdadi’s murder in Tal Afar town, located west Mosul, which indicates an indirect intention to confirm the news on his death in an airstrike few weeks ago in Syria,” a local source from Nineveh province, told AlSumaria News.
“The group canceled the punishment of 50 lashes over publicly tackles Baghdadi’s survival, a decision that was taken few days ago,” the source added indicating silence on Baghdadi’s death. “However, the recent decisions show that the leaders in Tal Afar received important information that made them cancel the ban.”
Earlier this month after the group ordered the 50 lashes punishment, the militans burnt a top leader to death in Tal Afar over charges of “stirring sedition” through suggesting Baghdadi’s possible demise during a Friday prayer sermon.
On Friday, the group reportedly distributed brief statement in Tal Afar, vowing to post a new audio recording for its leader to show he is still alive.
News reports circulated over the past few weeks have claimed that Baghdadi was killed in an airstrike in Syria.