What happened to Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi?

On October 26-27, 2019, the United States conducted Operation Kayla Mueller, which resulted in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the then-leader and self-proclaimed caliph of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation.

The operation took place on the outskirts of Barisha, Idlib Governorate, Syria. The US operation was named after Kayla Mueller, an American aid worker who was kidnapped and killed in captivity by the Islamic State.

Baghdadi fled into a tunnel network beneath the premises once Delta was inside, wearing a suicide vest and carrying two children with him.

By the time he reached a dead end, he had been apprehended by an explosive ordinance disposal military robot and a dog.

He detonated his vest, killing himself and two children and destroying the tunnel. The children killed were thought to be under the age of 12.

US soldiers dug through the rubble to recover some of Baghdadi’s remains, and lab technicians successfully conducted DNA profiling and biometrics tests within 15 minutes of his death, confirming Baghdadi’s identity.

On December 26, 2019, Boko Haram, the West African branch of ISIL, executed 11 captives as a “message for Christians” and in retaliation for Baghdadi’s death.