Kurds: Al-Baghdadi aide killed in second attack
BEIRUT — Syrian Kurdish forces said Monday they are increasing security at prisons and detention facilities holding tens of thousands of Islamic State militants and supporters, including foreigners, following the death of the extremist group’s leader in a U.S. military raid.
The heightened security also comes as Kurdish forces said they are continuing operations to hunt down IS leaders in Syria. Hours after the raid that killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in northwestern Syria, another attack based on Kurdish intelligence killed one of his aides and possible successors, Kurdish forces said. If confirmed, the death of Abu Hassan al-Muhajir would be another blow to IS. U.S. officials had no immediate comment.
Democrats praise military but not Trump
Democratic presidential candidates heaped praise on U.S. military forces who pulled off the raid that left al-Baghdadi dead. But they’ve made clear that commendation doesn’t extend to President Donald Trump.
“This victory was not due to Donald Trump’s leadership,” former Vice President Joe Biden said Monday. “It happened despite his ineptitude.”
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said the successful mission was “accomplished with information supplied by the Kurds” Trump abandoned in Syria. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar told CBS that al-Baghdadi’s killing doesn’t mean Trump’s “foreign policy overall has not been a disaster.”
Trump reveals canine hero
Trump on Monday 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. Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, told reporters Monday that the animal “performed a tremendous service” in the Saturday night raid. Milley said the dog was “slightly wounded” but is now recovering and has returned to duty with its handler at an undisclosed location. “We are not releasing the name of the dog right now,” Milley said. “The dog is still in theater.”