July 2015: The New York Times wrote that rumors that al-Baghdadi had been killed or injured earlier in the year had been "dispelled". [149] On 7 November 2014, there were unconfirmed reports of al-Baghdadi's death after an airstrike in Mosul, [104] while other reports said that he was only wounded. [105] [106]

A number of newspapers and news channels have instead stated that al-Baghdadi was interned from 2005 to 2009. These reports originate from an interview with the former commander of Camp Bucca, Colonel Kenneth King, [66] and are not substantiated by Department of Defense records. [67] [68] [69] Al-Baghdadi was imprisoned at Camp Bucca along with other future leaders of ISIL. [70] As leader of the Islamic State of Iraq [ edit ]According to several sources, Sujidah (sometimes referred to as "Saja" [228]) al-Dulaimi was the wife of al-Baghdadi. [229] It was reported the couple had allegedly met and fallen in love online. [229] Sujidah al-Dulaimi was arrested in Syria in late 2013 or early 2014, and was released from a Syrian jail in March 2014 as part of a prisoner swap involving 150 women, in exchange for 13 nuns taken captive by al-Qaeda-linked militants. Also released in March were her two sons and her younger brother. [230] The Iraqi Interior Ministry has said, "There is no wife named Saja al-Dulaimi." [220] Katz, Rita (October 29, 2019). "What Baghdadi's Death Means for al Qaeda—and Why It Matters". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019 . Retrieved October 31, 2019. June 2016: several Middle Eastern media outlets claimed that al-Baghdadi had been killed in a US airstrike in Raqqa on 12 June. Coalition spokesmen said they could not confirm the reports. [153] [154] The Independent however, later stated that these reports of Baghdadi's death were based on a digitally altered image claiming to be a media statement from IS. [155]

a b Crompton, Paul (30 June 2014). "The rise of the new 'caliph,' ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi". Al Arabiya News. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015 . Retrieved 24 February 2015.The operation was named after Kayla Mueller, an American aid worker that was abducted by ISIL in Syria in August 2013. During her captivity, she was reportedly forced into marriage with al-Baghdadi, during which time she was repeatedly raped, tortured, and physically abused. She was confirmed dead in early February 2015, reportedly murdered by al-Baghdadi himself. [35] President Trump announced on 27 October 2019 that American forces used helicopters, jets and drones through airspace controlled by Russia and Turkey. [192] He said that "Russia treated us great... Iraq was excellent. We really had great cooperation" and Turkey had been informed of the operation prior to its commencement. [185] He also thanked Russia, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and the Syrian Kurdish forces for their support. [185]