President Trump says ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead after U.S.-led raid in Syria
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Sunday that terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, perhaps the world's most wanted man, was killed in a special operations raid over the weekend.
"Last night the United States brought the world's No. 1 terrorist leader to justice," Trump said at the White House early Sunday in a televised address to the nation.
Al-Baghdadi led the extremist organization known as the Islamic State, or ISIS. Trump said he died after running from a house into a dead-end tunnel while being chased by U.S. commandos in northwest Syria. Al-Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest that killed him and three of his children, Trump said.
"He died like a dog," Trump said. "He died like a coward. The world is now a much safer place.
"He was a sick and depraved man, and now he's gone."
Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide
Al-Baghdadi is the highest-ranking terrorist to be killed or captured since the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011.
U.S. commandos launched the raid late Saturday, Trump said. News reports said the raid's target was al-Baghdadi, who was located with the assistance of the CIA.
No U.S. personnel were killed, Trump said.
Trump said the U.S. forces “accomplished their mission in grand style” in a “dangerous and daring nighttime raid." The operation lasted about two hours, he said. U.S. forces seized "highly sensitive information," including information about ISIS origins and future plans.
Al-Baghdadi’s body was “mutilated by the blast,” and the tunnel had caved in because of the explosion, Trump said. Rubble had to be removed to get to the body, and an on-site DNA test was done.
The test results "gave certain, immediate and totally positive identification," Trump said. "It was him."
Eleven children were removed from the house, according to the president, but it was unclear to whom they belonged. He said some fighters at the scene were taken and imprisoned.
Al-Baghdadi spent his “last moments in utter fear, in total panic and dread, terrified of the American forces bearing down on him," Trump said.
Trump said he and Vice President Mike Pence watched much of the mission from the White House Situation Room. Al-Baghdadi spent his final moments “whimpering and crying and screaming all the way," he said.
Trump did not confirm how many people were killed in the mission, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had reported at least eight deaths.
Two women whom Trump described as wives of al-Baghdadi were found wearing vests that had not been detonated. Both women were killed in the operation.
The announcement came three weeks after Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from northern Syria, which allowed Turkish forces to sweep into the area and attack Kurdish rivals. The decision drew bipartisan criticism that Trump had abandoned a former ally that had fought ISIS alongside U.S. forces.
The renewed fighting in the region also led to the release of an unknown number of ISIS fighters who had been imprisoned by the Kurds. Russian forces also moved into the region as a fragile cease-fire along the Turkey-Syria border took hold.
Both the Kurds and the Turks said they provided assistance to the U.S. raid.
Mazloum Abdi, commanding general of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, said on the organization's official Twitter account: "Successful & historical operation due to a joint intelligence work with the United States of America."
In another tweet, the Turkey Ministry of National Defense said: "Prior to the US Operation in Idlib Province of Syria last night, information exchange and coordination between the military authorities of both countries took place,"
Trump signaled the news Saturday night with an enigmatic tweet saying that "something very big has just happened!" Trump said he sent the tweet right after U.S. forces landed in the area.
About 90 minutes later, the White House announced Trump would make "a major statement" from the White House on Sunday morning.
Officials also said Defense Secretary Mark Esper would appear on Sunday morning new programs to discuss developments in Syria.
As the leader of a self-proclaimed caliphate, the charismatic and vicious al-Baghdadi urged followers to carry out attacks against the United States and other Western countries.
Many complied. Islamic State adherents included the woman and her husband who killed 14 people at a 2015 holiday party in San Bernardino, Calif.
There have been many reports of al-Baghdadi's death that did not pan out, and the U.S. put a $25 million bounty on his head.
Al-Baghdadi appeared in an ISIS video in late April, his first public appearance in nearly five years, praising Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka against Catholic churches and high-end hotels that killed more than 250 people, including at least four Americans.
Trump critics took issue with the television-drama-like rollout of the news.
"So Trump has to Trump even the apparent killing of al-Baghdadi," tweeted Robert E. Kelly, professor of political science at Pusan National University in South Korea. "He had to leak on Twitter to create hype & suspense and grab the news cycle. He can never rise to the moment. Maybe the announcement will finally display some gravitas, not gloating, but who really expects that now?"
Diane Foley, whose son James was one of the American captives murdered on camera by members of the group, said she was thankful to the president and U.S. troops.
“I am grateful to our President and brave troops for finding ISIS leader Al-Baghdadi," she said in a statement on behalf of her son's namesake foundation. "I hope this will hinder the resurgence of terror groups and pray that captured ISIS fighters will be brought to trial and held accountable."
She said she remains concerned about "the dozen Americans held hostage in Syria, including Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz. And I ask President Trump to make them, and all American hostages, a priority.”
Contributing: John Fritze; the Associated Press