Head of the US Central Command, General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., confirmed that the remains of leader of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi were buried at sea “within 24 hours of his death,” while speaking at a Pentagon briefing in Washington DC on Wednesday.
The General stressed that the US forces made every effort to avoid civilian casualties and managed to protect 11 children living in the compound where Baghdadi was hiding and which was targeted by the US forces.
“When capture at the hands of US forces was imminent, Baghdadi detonated a bomb he wore killing himself and two young children that were with him. The number two is a change, we originally thought there were three children with him,” added al-Baghdadi.
Earlier on Wednesday, Pentagon released footage dated October 26 of the US forces targeting a compound in Idlib Governorate, where al-Baghdadi was allegedly hiding.
On October 27, US President Donald Trump announced that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi blew himself up with an explosive belt in a dead-end tunnel as he was fleeing from the US forces.
Source: Defense.gov (US Department of Defense)
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