 "Pentagon releases footage of raid on Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's hideout")
The compound was razed by the US forces after the raid, leaving it looking like "a parking lot with large potholes," said Marine Corps General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of US Central Command. Releasing a few short videos of the strike, US Central Command Commander Gen Kenneth Mckenzie told reporters at a Pentagon news conference that after the raid, Baghdadi's compound looked "pretty much like a parking lot with large potholes." The compound was destroyed in a way to ensure that it would not become a shrine or memorable in any way. It's just another piece of ground now, he said.
“We believe Baghdadi actually may have fired from his hole in his last moments. The other people that were engaged on the objective were behaving in a threatening manner with suicide vests approaching the raid force and that causes you to make some decisions, particularly when they don't respond to Arabic language commands to stop, warning shots, and the progression of escalation that that our special operators are so very good at," McKenzie said. Giving details of the operation, the American general said the US forces cleared significant debris from the tunnel and secured Baghdadi's remains for DNA identity confirmation.
Before Baghdadi was found by the US forces running for life in a tunnel, American troops killed five ISIS members, including four women who engaged with them in fire, Mckenzie said. He said two children, who appeared to be under 12 years, were killed in the raid, not three as believed earlier. Besides, the Pentagon also released video of airstrikes on a group of unknown fighters on the ground who opened fire on the helicopters that ferried US forces in for the assault on Baghdadi's compound in Syria's Idlib province.
"Following collection of samples for formal DNA analysis, Baghdadi's remains were buried at sea in accordance with the law of armed conflict within 24 hours of his death, Mckenzie said . US soldiers also secured whatever documentation and electronics that could be found. The assault force then left the compound and returned to their helicopters with the two detainees. Despite the death of Baghdadi, McKenzie said the US Central command remained focused on the enduring defeat of ISIS and would remain vigilant against all terrorist organisations in the region who threaten the US, its partners, and allies.