Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the elusive leader of the Islamic State, has been killed, President Trump confirmed Sunday morning.
President Trump announced Baghdadi was killed in a secret U.S. military operation Saturday evening in Syria. The president did not spare many details when addressing the press, telling reporters Baghdadi was killed while being chased by dogs into a dead-end tunnel, where "whimpering, crying, and screaming," he detonated his explosive vest, reportedly killing himself and three children. Trump said Baghdadi's body was mutilated by the blast, but tests confirmed his identity. "He died like a dog," Trump said. "He died like a coward."
Trump said there were no American deaths in the operation, and 11 other young children were removed from Baghdadi's compound uninjured. Trump said the U.S. had the elusive Baghdadi under surveillance for weeks before launching the raid, which the president said involved eight helicopters flying over dangerous territory in Moscow-controlled airspace — the U.S. forces took off from and returned safely to an unspecified location.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The president thanked Russia, Turkey, and Kurdish forces in Syria for their assistance in allowing the U.S. to carry out the operation. One official speaking on condition of anonymity said the elite military unit, Delta Force, carried out the raid with support from the CIA and Kurdish forces. Read more at The New York Times and The Washington Post.
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Philadelphia’s Calder GardensFeature A permanent new museum
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to ChicagoSpeed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in OregonSpeed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
