Trump confirms Baghdadi killed in U.S. operation

Donald Trump.
(Image credit: Shealah Craighead/The White House via Getty Images)

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."

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.