Tal Afar (IraqiNews.com) The Islamic State has prescribed a punishment of 50 lashes for whoever brings up the issue of the survival of the group’s supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadil, a local source said Sunday.

According to the source, who spoke to Alsumaria News, the group circulated a brief bulletin across the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, setting a punishment of 50 whips for whoever discusses Baghdadi’s death rumors.

The measure came one day after a Friday prayer sermon delivered by a close aide to Baghdadi stoked suspicions around his possible demise during operations by Iraqi and U.S.-led international coalition forces.

According to the source, the move came to avert possible exacerbation of already existing divisions and leadership conflicts.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared on Thursday Islamic State’s defeat in western Mosul Old City, the group’s last bastion in the city from where it first declared its establishment in 2014.

Baghdadi’s only appearance was in a movie clip showing him making the sermon proclaiming the establishment of an Islamist “caliphate” in the Old City’s Grand Nuri Mosque in June 2014, and never showed up again. Speculations and clashing reports about his whereabouts and survival have been plenteous.

Russia said last month it was 100% of his death.







