Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the fugitive leader of the Islamic State (Isil) has appeared in a video for the first time in five years and claimed that the Sri Lanka terror attacks were revenge for the fall of the so-called caliphate.

The jihadist leader has not been seen since he proclaimed the creation of the caliphate in a Mosul mosque in 2014 and there have been persistent rumours that he was badly injured and in failing health.

But in a video released on Monday, Baghdadi appeared healthy. He sat cross-legged with an assault rifle at his side and the tips of his grey beard dyed orange as he spoke to several masked Isil fighters.

He vowed to carry out revenge attacks against the West in retaliation for the fall of Baghuz, the town in eastern Syria where his fighters made a last stand to defend Isil-held territory against advancing Kurdish forces.

“Your brothers in Sri Lanka have pleased the hearts of the believers with their [suicide] attacks,” he said. “This is only part of the revenge awaiting the crusaders and their followers.”