Megathread: President Trump announces that the United States has killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria

President Trump announced on Sunday that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the founder and leader of ISIS, had detonated a suicide vest and killed himself as U.S. troops closed in on his location in Syria. During the raid, four of al-Baghdadi’s wife’s also detonated their explosive vests, and U.S. troops killed two of al-Baghdadi’s aides. U.S. troops also killed several other fighters in addition to al-Baghdadi and his aides.<br><br>President Trump hailed the raid as a major win for America and the world, saying al-Baghdadi was “the number one priority” target. Al-Baghdadi had been in hiding for five years and was believed to be in Idlib, Syria. When U.S. troops closed in on his location, al-Baghdadi retreated into a dead-end tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, cornered and with American troops closing in, al-Baghdadi blew himself up along with three of his children. President Trump said that U.S. forces had been able to identify the body through a DNA test after the explosion.<br><br>President Trump also said that the U.S. had taken “highly sensitive material and information from the raid, both in hard copy and in electronic media”. The President added that he watched the raid unfold in the White House Situation Room with Vice President Pence. President Trump said that al-Baghdadi died “whimpering and crying and screaming” as U.S. troops closed in. The operation began at 5 p.m. ET and lasted for two hours. No U.S. troops were killed, although the President said that one dog had been wounded and that one helicopter had been slightly damaged. The U.S. had deployed eight helicopters to the location from an undisclosed location in the Middle East.<br><br>President Trump identified the canine as a “beautiful dog, a talented dog”. No information has been released on the identity of the dog’s breed or sex.