Trump tweets pic of dog hurt in raid
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump outed a military working dog that tracked down the head of the Islamic State.
Trump tweeted a photo of a Belgian Malinois that he said worked with a team of special forces in the capture of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a tunnel beneath a compound in northeastern Syria.
The name and other details about the dog remain a secret.
“We have declassified a picture of the wonderful dog (name not declassified) that did such a GREAT JOB in capturing and killing the Leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi!” the president tweeted.
Gen Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said earlier on Monday that the animal “performed a tremendous service” in the Saturday night raid.
Al-Baghdadi set off an explosion that killed himself and three children and apparently wounded the dog.
Milley said the dog was “slightly wounded” but is now recovering and has returned to duty with its handler at an undisclosed location.
He and Defence Secretary Mark Esper said the US is protecting the dog’s identify by keeping any information about the canine classified.
“We are not releasing the name of the dog right now,” Milley said. “The dog is still in theatre.”
The US military commonly uses the Belgian Malinois to guide and protect troops, search out enemy forces and look for explosives. The breed is prized for its intelligence and ability to be aggressive on command, said Ron Aiello, president of the United States War Dogs Association. — AP