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Yesterday, the Pentagon released graphic footage of the U.S. raid that ultimately resulted in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ISIS head honcho (or “austere religious scholar,” if you’re the New York Times).

When confronted by U.S. forces in his remote compound in northern Syria, Baghdadi blew up himself and — doting father he was — two of his children as well.

 

Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr., commander of U.S. Central Command said “The operation was exquisitely planned and executed.”

The recently unclassified battlefield footage shows the U.S. forces’ response to fire from fighters on the ground. Nailed ‘em.

The final footage shows the U.S. turning Baghdadi’s compound into a desert parking lot.

 

“The mission was a difficult, complex and precise raid that was executed with the highest level of professionalism and in the finest tradition of the U.S. military,” said Gen. McKenzie.

After the U.S. helicopter fire eliminated the fighters on the ground, the assault force swarmed the compound, and was able to safely clear a number of “non-combatants” including 11 children.

However, “five ISIS members inside the compound presented a threat to the force,” McKenzie said. The four women and one man were wearing suicide vests and approached in a “threatening manner,” the general said.

They “did not respond to commands in Arabic to surrender” or to warning shots and were killed, McKenzie said.

 

It was underwear and a Kurdish spy that helped the U.S. track Baghdadi’s whereabouts to the Syrian compound.

Per Military.com, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) senior adviser Polat Can said Monday that the Kurdish-led force’s own sources tracked al-Baghdadi to Idlib, Syria, before beginning to work with the CIA to keep tabs on the terror leader. He said al-Baghdadi was known to move often and was soon expected to change locations.

Before al-Baghdadi could move once again, a Kurdish undercover operative was able to reach him and steal his underwear. No word on whether he was a boxers or briefs kind of guy.

Through a DNA test of his shorts, they were able to confirm “100%” that the person of interest in the compound was indeed al-Baghdadi.

While al-Baghdadi blew himself up, his face at least remained intact enough for facial recognition technology to immediately identify him. Commandos also had DNA samples with them, and were able to perform a test onsite to confirm his identity within 15 minutes.

Technicians were able to remove “substantial pieces” of al-Baghdadi’s remains from the site, and according to Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, they were “disposed of appropriately” in accordance with the law of armed conflict.

 

What do you think is “appropriate” on the battlefield? Depends on who’s watching perhaps.

 

 

 

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