The fate of the elusive leader of the Islamic State (Isis) terrorist group remains unknown after his convoy was targeted on Sunday afternoon by the Iraqi air force.
"Air forces bombed the convoy of the terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi while he was heading to Karabla to attend a meeting with Daesh (an Arabic name for Isis) commanders," Iraqi government said in an official statement.
There is no confirmation whether Baghdadi was killed in the raid.
Meanwhile, Reuters quoted hospital sources saying many top Isis leaders were among the causalities of the attack. However, Baghdadi was not among the dead.
Iraq but claims that it was a precision attack carried out based on adequate intelligence reports.
Back in May, reports had emerged that the Isis leader had been seriously wounded in a US-led coalition airstrike. It was claimed that he remained incapacitated due to suspected spinal damage.
Baghdadi, however, later released an audio message urging Muslims to intensify the attacks in the West. In the message, he also asked them to emigrate to his self-proclaimed "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria for fighting foreign forces.
