Islamic State leader 'seriously wounded in air strike'

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has reportedly been seriously wounded in an air strike in Iraq.

The Guardian reports al-Baghdadi is no longer in day-to-day, operational control of the terror group after being injured in a US-led attack on a three-car convoy in a village in western Iraq on March 18.

The newspaper said that his wounds were at first thought to be so serious that he might die but the self-described spiritual leader of ISIL has since staged a gradual recovery.

ISIL deputies have convened meetings to discuss who might take over as leader.

The Guardian cited three separate sources for its story, including a source with connections to ISIL, a Western diplomat and an Iraqi official.

Al-Baghdadi, who has had a $10m price put on his head by the US government, was twice reported to have been wounded late last year, although neither claim turned out to be accurate.

US officials did not confirm the Guardian report, telling the Daily Beast website that there was no evidence the strike had hit a high-value target.

"We have no reason to believe it was Baghdadi," said a Pentagon spokesman.