Today the Pentagon released video footage of last weekend’s raid that led to the death of the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The almost four minute video is a play-by-play given by Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of U.S. Central Command.
McKenzie Jr. explains U.S. special forces killed six ISIS members including Baghdadi in the raid. Two young victims were Al-Baghdadi’s children whom he himself killed when he wore an explosive vest, and once his capture by U.S. forces was imminent, “he crawled into a hole with two small children and blew himself up while his people stayed on the ground.”
President Trump said Baghdadi’s identity was confirmed by a DNA test U.S. forces conducted on site, and the ISIS leader was later buried at sea. Additionally, no U.S. troops were killed in the operation.
On the video, Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. can be heard saying that when forces surrounded the compound, they repeatedly urged anyone inside to come out peacefully. Noncombatants were detained and later released. Five ISIS members inside the compound did not respond to orders in Arabic asking them to surrender. They continued to be a threat to forces who then engaged and killed the members.
Once established inside the compound, U.S. forces discovered Baghdadi “hiding in a tunnel.”
