Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of ISIS, the most ruthless and violent terror organization in the world, has met his just end. On the evening of October 26, U.S. Special Forces led a raid on Baghdadi’s hideout in northwest Syria, leading to the death of the terrorist leader and many of his associates.
President Donald Trump called it a “great night for the United States and the world:”
“A brutal killer, one who has caused so much hardship and death, has violently been eliminated – he will never again harm another innocent man, woman or child…The world is now a much safer place.”
President Trump described how Baghdadi met his end:
“He died after running into a dead-end tunnel. … He reached the end of the tunnel. ... He ignited his [suicide] vest killing himself and his three children.
Baghdadi and his followers are responsible for horrific violence, including the deaths of Americans James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. ISIS publicly beheaded more than 300 people under Baghdadi, committed genocidal killings of the Yazidi population, and killed thousands of captured prisoners of war.
While there is still work left to do to ensure ISIS’s enduring defeat, Baghdadi’s death follows the path of scores of other ISIS leaders that have been removed from the battlefield and can no longer commit heinous atrocities or spread their version of radical Islam.
“Baghdadi’s demise demonstrates America’s relentless pursuit of terrorist leaders,” said President Trump:
“Terrorists who oppress and murder innocent people should never sleep soundly, knowing that we will completely destroy them. These savage monsters will not escape their fate, and they will not escape the final judgment of God.”
The successful mission against Baghdadi, said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, “underscores the importance of our continued D-ISIS mission in Syria and our determination to continue working with our partners in the Global Coalition to pursue ISIS wherever they may be, and ensuring its enduring defeat.”
