SIS VOWS TO FIGHT ON: In social media posts, ISIS is vowing to continue its jihad despite the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the founder and leader of the Islamic State, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute, a terrorist monitoring group.
“Even if it is true, this is the main reason all of the jihad fighters set out for — martyrdom. The Messenger of Allah, may the blessing of Allah be upon him — died,” said a prominent media operative in the pro-ISIS online community. “The jihad will not stop when a certain person dies, even if he was the caliph himself.”
“Al-Baghdadi although influential is but one person, the term Caliphate that ISIS promotes is not a temporary idea whereby if one person dies the whole term or ideology ends,” said another posting on a pro-ISIS Telegram channel. “Al-Baghdadi is not the first Jihadi leader to be killed if the news is verified, before him influential figures such as Bin Laden, Al-Zarqawi, Abu Omar Al-Baghdadi, Al-Muhajir, Al-Adnani, Al-Shishani were all killed, it didn't stop anything neither it changed the situation in the ground."
"What the impure Crusaders do not understand with regard to the Muslims' creed, especially that of the jihad fighters, is that jihad in its entirety is not founded on men, but on creed,” said another post. “The Islamic State shall remain, it shall disturb the lives of the infidels and punish the apostates.