ISIS Leader al-Baghdadi Killed In U.S. Special Ops Raid

ISIS leader al-Baghdadi killed in U.S. Special Ops raid

The United States military conducted an operation against elusive Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Saturday, a US official said, as President Donald Trump prepared to make a "major statement" at the White House on Sunday morning.

After previous reports remained vague, a senior Pentagon official and an Army official both confirmed to Newsweek that the operation was successful, and that the man killed was indeed Baghdadi. Official confirmation is currently pending DNA testing.   

According to Newsweek's report, following a brief firefight while US forces were advancing to Baghdadi's compound, he committed suicide by activating an explosive vest. Two of his wives were killed as well when they detonated their explosive vests. 

The operation was carried out by US Joint Special Operations Command's Delta Team, according to the report.

Iran was informed by sources in Syria that al-Baghdadi had been killed, two Iranian officials told Reuters on Sunday.

"Our sources from inside Syria have confirmed to the Iraqi intelligence team tasked with pursuing Baghdadi that he has been killed alongside his personal bodyguard in Idlib, after his hiding place was discovered when he tried to get his family out of Idlib towards the Turkish border," said one of the sources.

Trump says Islamic State chief 'died like a dog'

 US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that elusive Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed, dying “like a dog,” in a daring, nighttime raid by US special forces deep in northwest Syria.

Trump told the nation in a televised address from the White House that US forces killed a “large number” of Islamic State fighters during the raid which culminated in cornering Baghdadi in a tunnel, where he set off a suicide vest.

“He ignited his vest, killing himself,” Trump said.

“He died after running into a dead end tunnel, whimpering and crying and screaming all the way,” Trump said, adding that three of Baghdadi’s children also died in the blast.

Trump said that the raid — which required flying more than an hour by helicopter in both directions from an undisclosed base — had been accomplished with help from Russia, Syria, Turkey and Iraq.

Special forces “executed a dangerous and daring nighttime raid in northwestern Syria and accomplished their mission in grand style.”

At its height, Islamic State controlled swaths of Iraq and Syria in a self-declared state known as a caliphate, characterized by the brutal imposition of a puritanical version of Islam.