Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, fugitive leader of the Islamic State (IS) group, killed himself during a raid by US forces in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, US President Donald Trump announced Sunday.
Trump said Baghdadi killed himself and three children by detonating an explosive belt after being pursued by military dogs into a tunnel as American special forces raided his compound in the village of Barisha, near the Turkish border.
“Last night the United States brought the world’s worst terrorist to justice. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead,” Trump said.
“He died after running into a dead-end tunnel, whimpering, crying and screaming all the way… As our dogs chased him down, he ignited his [suicide] vest, killing himself and three children,” Trump added.
“His body was mutilated by the blast, the tunnel had caved in on him, but tests results gave complete identification – it was him.”
US President Donald Trump
Reports said eight helicopters had crossed
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