Head of Iraqi intelligence: Al-Baghdadi is present in western Syria and ISIS gangs are still in Idlib

An Iraqi intelligence official has announced the whereabouts of the leader of the Islamic State group (IS), days after his last speech through which he threatened the US forces to turn Africa and places in Asia into a new Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

The Iraqi News Agency quoted a statement of the head of al-Soqour intelligence cell, Abu Ali al-Basri, of the Iraqi Interior Ministry, that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is inside one of the areas in western Syria.

Al-Basri, who is also director-general of intelligence and counterterrorism at the Interior Ministry, stressed that “leaders of ISIS terrorist gangs have fled to Turkey, Sudan and North Africa, by direct orders from the criminal al-Baghdadi.”

He added that “there’s a number of terrorists with their families in al-Hawl camp in the Syrian governorate of Hasakah.”

Meanwhile, the leader of al-Soqour intelligence cell has warned of “the presence of ISIS gangs in the Syrian Idlib,” considering that “another threat to the security of the region,” as he said.

Moreover, Abu Ali al-Basri stressed that “terrorists of different nationalities have fled in mobile cells, the areas liberated of ISIS to their countries, ” describing them as “capable of reorganizing themselves into new terrorist formations that threaten peace and security of those countries.”

Earlier, Kurdish leaders have spoken about the emergence of ISIS flags in Afrin region, which is controlled by Turkish forces and armed opposition groups since March 2018, following the Turkish-led operation of “Olive Branch ” in Afrin region, northwestern Syria.