ISIS leader's purported recording urges followers to fight on, cites attacks in Canada and Europe

In his first purported speech in nearly a year, the leader of ISIS has called on followers to fight on despite recent defeats, according to an audio recording posted on the militant group's media outlet.

In the 55-minute statement, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi congratulatedthe "striking lions" behind recent attacks in Canada and Europe, and called on followers to use bombs, knivesor cars to carry out attacks.

Baghdadi also offered greetings to Muslims for Eid al-Adha,a feast celebrated this week, suggesting the messagewas recorded recently.

"For the Mujahideen [holy warriors],the scale of victory ordefeat is not dependant on a city or town being stolen or subject to that who has aerial superiority, intercontinentalmissiles or smart bombs," Baghdadi said in a recording in Arabicposted by his al-Furqan media group.

"Oh Caliphate soldiers.... trust in God's promise and Hisvictory... for with hardship comes relief and a way out," he added, addressing followers in various cities in Syria.

Reuters was unable to verify whether the voice on therecording was Baghdadi's.

Series of defeats

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, which until last year controlled large areasin Syria and Iraq, has since been driven into the desert by successive defeats in offensives by international allies in bothcountries.

Baghdadi, who declared himself ruler of all Muslims in 2014after capturing Iraq's main northern city Mosul, is now believedto be hiding in the Iraqi-Syrian border region after losing allthe cities and towns of his self-proclaimed caliphate.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for attacks aroundthe world, including a July 22 shooting in Toronto that left two people dead and 13 wounded. Canadian police said they hadno evidence so far to support the claim.

Baghdadi also called on Iraqi followers to keep up attacksagainst ShiaMuslims and what he described as apostates areference to Sunni Muslims fighting against his group.

He called on followers to remain loyal to the leaders of hismovement and urged the citizens of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain andJordan to overthrow their rulers.

The secretive ISISleader has frequently beenreported killed or wounded since leading his fighters on a sweep through northern Iraq. His whereabouts are not known butWednesday's message suggests he is still alive.

One of his sons was reported to have been killed in the cityof Homs in Syria, the group's news channel reported earlier thisyear.

Baghdadi also warned that Idlib province in Syria was aboutto fall as Russia and Syrian government forces were preparing toinvade it. Idlib province is in the last swathe of territorystill held by rebels opposed to the rule of President Basharal-Assad.

In June, the UNregional humanitarian co-ordinator warned that ISIS and other militant groups were mingled with the population in Idlib, making it a "highly explosive" situation.