The body of ISIS chief Abu Bakr-al Baghdadi was buried at sea, US officials have confirmed after the terrorist group leader was killed in a military operation in northwest Syria on Saturday.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said, during a media address at the Pentagon, that Baghdadi's remains were “disposed of appropriately” in accordance with the US standard operating procedure and the law of armed conflict.
“Baghdadi's remains were transported to a secure facility to confirm his identity with forensic DNA testing and the disposal of his remains has been done. It is complete and was handled appropriately.”
Authorities did not reveal details about the location where the body was disposed of, but said that the procedure was similar to the one used to dispose of the remains of al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden was buried at sea after being killed in a US raid in Pakistan's Abbottabad in 2011.
US President Donald Trump had on Sunday morning announced that Baghdadi was killed in the US raid when he blew himself and three children up using a suicide vest. He was chased to the end of a tunnel by military dogs, one of whom has received much praise from the president as the wonderful dog that helped capture and kill Baghdadi.
In his announcement, Trump said that he got to see much of it as Baghdadi ran into a dead-end tunnel, “whimpering and crying and screaming all the way”. “He died like a dog, he died like a coward. The world is now a much safer place. God bless America.”
The military operation included only US forces, with help from Turkey, Syria, Russia and the Kurds.
Two associates of Baghdadi were also captured by US forces. “There were two adult males taken off the objective alive and they are in our custody,” General Milley said.