Normally I don’t publish blurry, slightly fish-eyed photos for the Pic of the Day, but when the subject matter is Delta Force taking out the head of ISIS, the most wanted terrorist in the world, there is room for exceptions.  I mean, it would have been kind of tough to get Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to stand still for a selfie that day. At least pre-mortem.

SOFREP drawing of Delta
SOFREP original art.

On October 26, 2019, US special operations forces, led by Delta, hunted him down in his compound in Barisha, Syria, and helped to purge him forever from this mortal coil. I say “helped” because Al-Baghdadi took himself out after clacking off a suicide vest once he saw no way out.  In doing so, the bastard also took out two of his children, who were with him at the time.

Here we have some video of the operation released by the Pentagon. After al-Baghdadi killed himself, we conducted a sophisticated biological examination of his remains to confirm his identity.  Once established, US forces proceeded to destroy the compound from the air to deny the enemy its further use.

 

The death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the then-leader of ISIS, marked a major milestone in the fight against the terrorist organization.

The operation was the result of a sophisticated intelligence effort to locate the elusive Daesh frontman. Led by the U.S. Delta Force, the raid involved helicopters, drones, and other military equipment to approach the compound where he was hiding.

Upon realizing that he was trapped, al-Baghdadi fled into a tunnel system within the compound.

The U.S. military took meticulous steps to confirm al-Baghdadi’s identity, including DNA testing, which positively identified his remains. The operation was considered highly successful, with no U.S. casualties.

Al-Baghdadi’s death was a symbolic and operational blow to ISIS, as he had been a charismatic figurehead for the group and an important operational leader. The U.S. and other global leaders hailed the operation as a significant victory but also acknowledged that the fight against ISIS and related ideologies was far from over.

President Donald Trump announced al-Baghdadi’s death in a televised address, detailing the operation and praising the bravery and skill of the U.S. military forces involved. The death of al-Baghdadi was seen as a significant achievement in the ongoing global efforts to combat terrorism.