US President Donald Trump has confirmed the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a secret operation by US forces overnight in Barisha village in the northwestern province of Idlib.
In a speech on Sunday, Trump confirmed that Baghdadi was killed after he detonated an explosive vest he was wearing after being crammed into a tunnel under his apartment complex, noting that Baghdadi was killed along with three of his children.
He said that the identity of the leader of the Islamic State was identified through the results of tests conducted after the operation, and pointed out that the American forces remained at the site for about two hours,
Trump said sensitive documents had been obtained after Baghdadi's death, stressing that his country would continue to "hunt down other terrorists of ISIS."
In the details of the operation, the US president said Baghdadi was located two weeks ago after receiving "very positive information about his whereabouts a month ago."
He explained that eight helicopters participated in the operation, and that the main entrance to the compound was booby-trapped, and said he saw the operation with his deputy Mike Pence and others.
Trump thanked Turkey, Russia and Kurdish fighters. "We coordinated with Turkey and Russia the operation that killed Baghdadi," he said, adding that "the Kurds provided us with some useful information."