Iraq's Anti-Terrorism Body:

ISIL Members Deserted by Al-Baghdadi

Rasa - A senior commander of Iraq's counter-terrorism service said that ISIL ringleader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has fled to an unknown place and deserted the terrorist group.

News ID: 429623

Date: 13 May 2017 - 22:49

RNA - Ma'an al-Sa'di told al-Arabiya news channel that the ISIL has been extensively annihilated in Iraq and its self-proclaimed capital, Mosul, is collapsing as now only a few number of districts in Mosul have remained to be liberated.

"The ISIL is now thinking of escaping from Iraq and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has left the members of the terrorist group on their own and fled to an unknown place," he added.

The countdown has started for accomplishing the recapture of the Western part of the strategic city of Mosul from the ISIL as Iraq's joint military forces have laid full siege on the terrorists in the few districts that are still under the group's control.

A map released by the Iraqi military media on Thursday suggested that government troops are in control over 90 percent of Western Mosul.

The map, posted by the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell, showed that only 10 percent remains under ISIL militants’ control as the forces opened a new front of operations last week targeting the ISIL-held Old City from the Northwestern direction.

Military officials had said earlier this month that they control over 70 percent of the region.

847/940