Donald Trump has declared that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead after a US military raid in northwest Syria over the weekend. Baghdadi’s death marks the culmination of a long hunt to find one of the most wanted terrorists in the world. “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead,” Trump said at the White House, calling the ISIS leader’s removal “the top national security priority of my administration.”
According to CNN, several of Baghdadi’s allies were killed, including two women wearing suicide vests and three children. A specific number of casualties has not been released, but described those targeted on the scene as “more dead than alive.” Eleven children were reportedly moved out of the house, uninjured.
Trump said Baghdadi was chased to the end of a dead-end tunnel by dogs and accompanied by three children. Once he reached the end of the tunnel, he detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and the children. “He died like a dog. He died like a coward. The world is now a much safer place,” Trump said, describing the situation, saying the ISIS leader “spent his last moments in utter fear, in total panic and dread, terrified of the American forces bearing down on him.”
Trump told reporters Baghdadi was under surveillance for weeks and that 2-3 planned missions were scrapped before the successful one went into effect. “Last night was a great night for the United States and for the world,” he said. In regards to the ISIS leader’s death, Trump said Baghdadi “spent his last moments in utter fear… terrified of the American forces bearing down on him.” He described Baghdadi as, “crying, whimpering, screaming, and bringing three kids with him. To die. Certain death.”
Donald Trump said he did inform a few members of Congress about the raid prior to his announcement, including Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Republican Sen. Richard Burr. But Trump also said he chose not to inform key Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer because “a leak of the raid could have cost American lives”.
Pelosi’s office confirmed to CNN there was no notice given ahead of the raid. Pelosi said in a statement, “This month, the House passed a joint resolution on an overwhelmingly bipartisan 354-60 basis which rejects President Trump’s green-lighting of Turkish aggression into Syria against our Kurdish partners, and calls on him to present a clear strategy to defeat ISIS.”
She continued, “The House must be briefed on this raid, which the Russians but not top Congressional Leadership were notified of in advance, and on the Administration’s overall strategy in the region. Our military and allies deserve strong, smart and strategic leadership from Washington.”
Schumer said during an unrelated press conference in New York City that he learned about Baghdadi’s death on tv. “I didn’t know. I saw it on TV,” Schumer said. When asked for his reaction to the news, he said, “My reaction? Look, it’s great that we’ve gotten al-Baghdadi and killed him. He’s a dangerous man, an evil man. The fight against ISIS has to continue.”
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