Pentagon releases pictures, video of raid on Baghdadi’s compound

The Pentagon releases video, photos and details of the raid on Baghdadi’s compound | WATCH

The Pentagon has released video and photographs of the US special forces raid that resulted in the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as the general who oversaw the operation provided the most detail yet about what happened inside the compound.

General Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, said 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.

Among the images released by the Defence Department was a grainy image of Delta Force commandos approaching the walls of the compound in Idlib, Syria, in which al-Baghdadi and others were found.

Another video showed American airstrikes on other militants who fired at helicopters carrying soldiers to the compound.

Baghdadi’s compound is hit by air strikes. Picture: US Defence Department via AP.

Before and after pictures of the compound were also released as General McKenzie said it was destroyed so 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.

Before and after pictures of Baghdadi’s compound. Picture; US Department of Defence via AFP.

General McKenzie, speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, said attacking American forces launched from an undisclosed location inside Syria for the one-hour helicopter ride to the compound under cover of darkness.

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He said two children were killed – not three as President Donald Trump previously said | when Baghdadi blew himself up with a suicide vest in a tunnel as he tried to escape US troops. He said the children appeared to be under 12 years old.

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, he said.

This image shows the moment the compound was destroyed. Picture: Department of Defence via AP.

He also provided more details on the hero dog which was injured after chasing Baghdadi into a dead-end tunnel. The dog, named Conan, was injured when he came in contact with exposed live electrical cables in the tunnel after Baghdadi detonated his vest. Conan, a four- year veteran with US Special Operations Command who had been on approximately 50 combat missions. has since returned to duty.

Conan was injured when he was exposed to electrical wires after Baghdadi blew himself up. Picture: White House via AP.

Baghdadi was identified by comparing his DNA to a sample collected in 2004 by US forces in Iraq, where he had been detained. His remains were then flown back to the staging base for the raid for identification.

Baghdadi was then buried at sea within 24 hours of his death “in accordance with the laws of armed conflict,” Gen. McKenzie said.

Gen. McKenzie would not give any information about the two men captured in the raid but said the US managed to collect “substantial” amounts of documentation and electronics during the raid. Such efforts are a standard feature of raids against high-level extremist targets and can be useful in learning more about the group’s plans.

Baghdadi’s DNA was confirmed by comparing it to a sample collected in 2004 by US forces who had detained him in Iraq. Picture; AP.

Gen. McKenzie was asked about Mr Trump’s claim that Baghdadi had fled into the tunnel “crying and whimpering.”

“About Baghdadi’s last moments, I could tell you this,” he said. “He crawled into a hole with two small children and blew himself up while his people stayed on the ground.”

Baghdadi “may have fired from his hole in his last moments,” he added.

The compound was obliterated after the airstrikes. Picture: Department of Defence via AP.

An unknown number of nearby fighters were also killed when they opened fire on US helicopters, Gen. McKenzie said.

He declined to provide any further details about the two men captured in the raid, but said that a “substantial” amount of electronics and documents had been recovered from the compound.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was buried at sea. Picture: AP.

Gen. McKenzie said that despite Baghdadi’s death, ISIS remains “dangerous.”

“We’re under no illusions that it will go away just because we killed Baghdadi,” he said. “It will remain.”

AP, AFP