General Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, released a number of declassified images and video from the raid that resulted in the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi over the weekend and described the images for reporters at the Pentagon Wednesday.
This image shows the destruction of the compound in Idlib province in Syria where al-Baghdadi hid.
U.S. Central Command shared video on Twitter that showed fighters near the compound beginning to fire on U.S. aircraft participating in the the raid.
And this is the compound where al-Baghdadi hid, in Idlib province in Northwest Syria.
Among the photos that McKenzie showed were “before” and “after” photos of the compound where al-Baghdadi was found over the weekend.
Trending News
He also told reporters that four men and two women were killed, and he told reporters that the children who were killed with al-Baghdadi were probably “under 12” years of age. McKenzie also suggested that al-Baghdadi may have fired from the tunnel before he detonated his bomb-laden vest. He did not confirm a claim that President Trump made, that in al-Baghdadi’s final moments, he was “screaming, crying and whimpering.”
McKenzie also said of the DNA analysis confirming al-Baghdadi’s identity that the analysis showed “beyond a shadow of a doubt” that the man who died over the weekend was al-Baghdadi. He described it as a “direct match” that “produced a level of certainty that the remains belonged to Baghdadi of 1 in 104 septillion.” Al-Baghdadi’s remains were “buried at sea in accordance with the Law of Armed conflict within 24 hours of his death,” according to U.S. Central Command.
There was also a little more information about the dog involved in the U.S. operation — he’s a four-year veteran of the program and has been in 50 combat missions. He has also been returned to duty.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
