IS ‘will attack’ and US is ready
THE general who oversaw the US raid on Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi provided the most detailed account yet of the operation on Wednesday and said the US was on alert for possible “retribution attacks” by extremists.
General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, head of US Central Command, said al-Baghdadi’s remains were buried at sea within 24 hours of his death inside an underground tunnel, where he fled as special operations soldiers closed in on him.
The Pentagon released the first government photos and video clips of the night-time operation, including one showing Delta Force commandos approaching the walls of the compound in which al-Baghdadi and others were found.
Another video showed American air strikes on other militants who fired at helicopters carrying soldiers. The US also bombed the compound after the soldiers completed the mission so that it would not stand as a shrine to al-Baghdadi.
“It looks pretty much like a parking lot with large potholes right now,” Gen McKenzie said.
The attacking American force launched from an undisclosed location inside Syria for the one-hour helicopter ride to the compound, he said.
Two children died with alBaghdadi when he detonated a bomb vest, Gen McKenzie said, one fewer than originally reported.
Eleven other children were escorted from the site unharmed. Four women and two men who were wearing suicide vests and refused to surrender inside the compound were killed, Gen McKenzie said.
The general said the military dog injured during the raid was a four-year veteran with US Special Operations Command and had been on 50 combat missions.
The dog, a male whose name has not been released because the mission was classified, was injured when he came in contact with exposed live electrical cables in the tunnel after al-Baghdadi detonated his vest, Gen McKenzie said. The dog has returned to duty.
al-Baghdadi was identified by comparing his DNA to a sample collected in 2004 by US forces in Iraq, where he had been detained.
Although the raid was successful, Gen McKenzie said it would be a mistake to conclude that IS has been defeated.
“We suspect they will try some form of retribution attack, and we are postured and prepared for that.”