Daesh terrorist leader Baghdadi urges followers to attack Turkey
DAILY SABAH
ISTANBUL
Published
An image grab taken from a propaganda video released on July 5, 2014 by Al-Furqan Media allegedly shows Daesh terrorist leader Baghdadi (AFP Photo)
The Daesh terrorist group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who is currently believed to be in Mosul, called on his supporters to take the battle to Turkey and carry out attacks in the country. Baghdadi's call, which was released in a voice recording on Thursday, is the first message he issued after Iraqi forces backed by the U.S. launched an offensive in Mosul to take the city back from the terrorists.
In the 31-minute-long recording, Baghdadi expressed confidence that Daesh will be victorious in Mosul, and told his followers to invade Turkey.
"Unleash the fire of your anger on Turkish troops in Syria" the terrorist leader said and added:
"Turkey today entered your range of action and the aim of your struggle ... invade it and turn its safety into fear.''
Baghdadi claimed that Turkey is cooperating with Atheists, therefore deserves to be attacked and targeted.
He also urged Daesh terrorist fighters to target security forces, members of the ruling Al Saud monarch and media outlets in Saudi Arabia and launch simultaneous attacks, as he claimed they were also cooperating with 'infidel nations' in Syria and Iraq.
With a population of over 1.5 million people, Mosul stands as a bastion of the terrorist group.
Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield in late August to clear Syria's northern border area of terrorists. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) units backed by Turkish forces were able to liberate Jarablus and more than 32 villages west of the Euphrates River following Turkey's operation.
In December 2015, Daesh released a video urging the conquest of Istanbul and Turkey and called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 'Satan,' while harshly criticizing him for supporting the U.S.-led coalition against the terrorists.
In its determined fight against the terrorists, Turkey has prevented the entry of over 52,075 people from entering the country and detained thousands of Daesh suspects, since the start of 2016, according to Interior Ministry figures. Moreover, since 2011, Turkey has deported more than 3,290 foreign terrorist fighters from 95 countries and refused entry to more than 38,269 individuals in its fight against Daesh, which counts the Muslim-majority country as an enemy.
Daesh terrorists frequently target Turkey, which has recognized it as a terrorist group in October 2013. It is responsible for a string of terror attacks in Ankara and Istanbul, as well as cross-border fire from Syria that has killed a number of residents in Turkish border towns over the last year.