The Caliph of the Islamic State is the leader of the Islamic State, a transnational Salafi jihadist militant organisation and internationally unrecognized quasi-state, and the head of state and government of the territory of the Islamic State.
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Background
On 29 June 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant proclaimed the "return of the Islamic Caliphate" and renamed itself to the Islamic State, with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as its first Caliph. The Caliphate at its territorial peak controlled 12 million people with territories in various countries, notably Iraq, Syria and Nigeria.
Dispute
The Islamic State describes itself as a caliphate and its leader as a caliph, however, this claim is not accepted by the vast majority of Muslims, and is disputed by multiple Muslim scholars and authors.