(CNN)For weeks, reports have been circulating that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the caliph of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), was seriously injured in an airstrike back in March.
Martin Chulov of the Guardian, who has good contacts in Iraq and among ISIS supporters, was the first to report that al-Baghdadi had been injured in a strike on al-Baaj in northern Iraq. Chulov reported last week that al-Baghdadi "remains incapacitated due to suspected spinal damage and is being treated by two doctors who travel to his hideout from the group's stronghold of Mosul."
A U.S. official told CNN Monday there is "no information" to indicate al-Baghdadi has been injured and, furthermore, there was recent intelligence indicating he "is a player" and is "absolutely participating" in the day-to-day running of ISIS.
The official said the United States had no information al-Baghdadi was at the location where the airstrike was said to have occurred in March.
Separately, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steven Warren said Monday the U.S., "has no reason to believe Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi has been injured in a coalition airstrike."
Even so, the reports have spurred interest about other ISIS leaders who might emerge as al-Baghdadi's successor should he be incapacitated or die. ISIS has not publicly anointed a successor, but several senior figures could emerge as the next so-called "caliph."
Read more plus video report:
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/11/middleeast/isis-leadership/index.html
