This morning President Donald Trump confirmed that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been killed in a raid by U.S. forces in Syria:
Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died in a U.S. raid in northwestern Syria, President Donald Trump announced Sunday, describing in detail a daring mission by Army Delta Force commandos that he said had been planned for five months.
Baghdadi, whose self-declared caliphate once covered large swaths of Syria and Iraq, detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and three children after he was cornered in a tunnel.
“The thug who tried so hard to intimidate others spent his last moments in utter fear, in total panic and dread, terrified of the American forces bearing down on him,” Trump said from the White House. “Baghdadi’s demise demonstrates America’s relentless pursuit of terrorist leaders and our commitment to the enduring and total defeat of ISIS and other terrorist organizations.”
More details of Baghdadi’s death:
“He died after running into a dead-end tunnel, whimpering and crying and screaming,” Trump said. “The compound had been cleared by this time, with people either surrendering or being shot and killed. Eleven young children were moved out of the house un-injured. The only ones remaining were Baghdadi in the tunnel, who had dragged three children with him to certain death. He reached the end of the tunnel, as our dogs chased him down. He ignited his vest, killing himself and the three children. His body was mutilated by the blast, but test results gave certain and positive identification.”
He was a sick and depraved man, and now he’s gone,” Trump said, adding at one point that he would support making public Baghdadi’s final moments.
Trump, using language also said that Baghdadi “died like a dog. He died like a coward.” The reference particular could anger Islamist extremists because they view the animals as unclean.
Well, we wouldn’t want to offend Islamic extremists, now would we?
No U.S. personnel were lost in the raid.
Here’s President Trump’s complete speech:
Some reactions from around the Twitterverse. The Washington Post took an early lead in the “worst take headline” derby:
They had it right the first time.
The Washington Post changed the headline on its Al-Baghdadi obituary from “Islamic State’s terrorist-in-Chief” to “austere religious scholar at helm of Islamic State.” pic.twitter.com/cs243EVz7W
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) October 27, 2019
Judas Iscariot, devoted disciple of Jesus and noted silver trader… pic.twitter.com/hsfnJCOhdA
— Logan Dobson (@LoganDobson) October 27, 2019
cc: @washingtonpost https://t.co/JBnxL08AJJ
— Bruce Carroll (@BruceCarrollJr) October 27, 2019
Critical opportunity for media to show American success is more important than hating Trump. They can’t do it.
— Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) October 27, 2019
U.S. special forces killing Baghdadi at the direction of @realDonaldTrump is a warning to all who seek to harm the United States. It may not be today or tomorrow but if you seek to spread terror like ISIS, the very best we have will find you and you will die for what you’ve done.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 27, 2019
Jake Tapper just referred to the American heroes who carried out the Baghdadi raid as “lesser matters” pic.twitter.com/C4YX5FvMBR
— Austere Scholar Poso (@JackPosobiec) October 27, 2019
The first thing I heard after the President’s announcement
“He thanked Russia first and the Kurds last…should we read into that?” -Chuck Todd
How about you take just 5 minutes of your day and stop being a petty ungrateful spiteful pos and be proud of your country.
— Heather (@hrenee80) October 27, 2019
Trump's reference to Baghdadi as a "coward" who "died like a dog" is much stronger in tone when translated into Arabic, especially due to the cultural connotations of dogs being haram in Islam.
He chose those words deliberately.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) October 27, 2019
Own your essential garbage nature, mainstream media https://t.co/tGTP8rWaXE
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) October 27, 2019
It’s actually quite amazing that the Media and Democrats are actually openly furious that Trump just knocked off ISIS’ leader, Baghdadi. It’s Trump Derangement Syndrome taken to a whole new level.
— Democrats for Trump (@YoungDems4Trump) October 27, 2019
Al Baghdadi dead.
Entire world: Good riddance!@AndrewFeinberg: We can’t celebrate the death of a genocidal jihadist deathcult’s leader because it might reflect well on Trump.
American liberalism circa 2019.
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) October 27, 2019
Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar evidently has yet to comment on Baghdadi’s death…