Islamic State’s leader Baghdadi orders fighters to invade Turkey and hold their ground in Mosul

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called on his fighters to invade Turkey, as well as resist Iraqi forces poised to enter the city of Mosul, where he declared a “caliphate” two years ago.

“Do not retreat,” said a voice presented as belonging to the leader of the Islamic State group in an audio message released early Thursday by the IS-affiliated Al-Furqan media.

“Holding your ground with honour is a thousand times easier than retreating in shame,” he said in the message, his first in more than a year. “To all the people of Nineveh, especially the fighters, beware of any weakness in facing your enemy,” Baghdadi said, referring to the northern Iraqi province of which Mosul is the capital.

In a message that will chill Ankara, Baghdadi told Islamic State’s fighters to “unleash the fire of their anger” on Turkish troops fighting them in Syria, and to take the battle into Turkey.

“Turkey today entered your range of action and the aim of your jihad ... invade it and turn its safety into fear.”