Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the IS terror group, is still alive, he is not in the Iraqi city of Mosul, according to a US defense official.

Axar.az reports that the leader of the Islamic State terror group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive but is currently not in the Iraqi city of Mosul, a US defense official told reporters on Wednesday.

Media has previously reported that Baghdadi visited Mosul, which is the Islamic State's biggest stronghold in Iraq.

"Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who I believe is still alive, [is] not in Mosul," the official said.