Baghdadi sometimes dressed as a shepherd to survive!

The Dhaka Times Desk How did he become so popular? How did he get the lead? Many people may have this question. After a single fiery speech at Al Nuri Mosque in Mosul, Iraq, he didn't stop.

After that speech, the response fell all over the world. Thousands of boys and girls flocked to his group at that time leaving their families. Somewhere again, many people gave the Blood Ganga alone. However, in the last days of his life, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of the militant group Islamic State (IS), could no longer maintain that glory.

He was constantly haunted by the fear of being caught by the enemy. So sometimes he looked like a shepherd. He suspected that he might be attacked at any time, from any direction. The mental state reached such a level that even those closest to him were mistrusted. The information emerged from the interrogation of Baghdadi's associates.

On October 26, the experienced Delta and 75th Ranger Regiment of the US forces attacked Baghdadi's hideout in the Barisha area of Idlib province, Syria. Baghdadi was suddenly cornered by this attack. He took shelter in a tunnel with three children. It was there that Baghdadi blew up his three children and himself by pressing the button on his suicide jacket.

At that time some of his attendants were also in that shelter. Some of them also died in clashes with the US Army. Then some surrendered.

According to a news report from the AP news agency, the IS militants who surrendered gave those descriptions of the last days of Baghdadi's life to US officials. IS was increasingly cornered by the continuous attacks of the US coalition forces. Several areas under their control were being lost one by one. This made Baghdadi insecure.

Baghdadi was desperate to find a safe haven in what part of eastern Syria they held on the border with Iraq. Although it once sought to become the Islamic State's 'caliphate', rival militant groups, including al-Qaeda, are now based in Idlib in northwestern Syria. No one was even allowed to come there except a handful of people.

In such a situation, Baghdadi kept a Yazidi girl as a sex slave in that shelter in Idlib. When he went somewhere with his faithful retinue, he would take the girl with him. Once he decided to stay at Dashisa for four months.

At that time Dashisa arranged to keep the girl in her in-laws house. It is alleged that this IS leader used to go there and rape the girl. Last May, US-led military forces rescued the girl.

In an interview given to the news agency AP, the girl said that Baghdadi tried to escape from Idlib once in 2017. 3 cars are also arranged as per the plan. Baghdadi tried to escape with his wife, security guard and the girl.

However, thinking that the US forces might attack, he turned back from the middle of the road. Then, in the spring of 2018, Baghdadi handed the girl over to another man. They never saw each other after this incident. Only once did the IS leader send him a gift of jewellery.

According to media reports, last week, a relative of Baghdadi, Mohammad Ali Sajid, gave an interview to Al-Arabiya, a state TV channel in Saudi Arabia. He said, Baghdadi always suffered from anxiety for a few months before his death. He has become more meticulous about his own safety than before.

Muhammad Ali Sajid also said that he never went out except at night. If he wanted to go out alone, he would cover his face with a black cloth and go out with a security guard. At that time he was called 'Hajji' or 'Sheikh' by his security guards. Baghdadi grew distrustful even of his followers. Baghdadi was also always in fear that anyone could betray or infiltrate the group from outside in the guise of an IS militant.

Mohammad Ali Sajid also said, that's why Baghdadi always kept a suicide jacket or belt with him. He even kept a suicide belt on his bed while sleeping, so as not to be caught by the enemy. ISIS leader Baghdadi sometimes disguised himself as a shepherd to avoid surveillance. Although he himself did not use mobile phones, some of his colleagues used mobile phones.

Mohammad Ali Sajid claimed that ISIS leader Baghdadi was always worried. His diabetes problem also suddenly increased. That's why he had to keep an eye on blood sugar all the time. He also had to take insulin. However, despite all this, the head of the Islamic State (IS) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was not saved. Due to the operation of the US forces, he had to give his life in the end.