Washington, October 31: The US military on Thursday released videos and pictures of the raid that killed Islamic State or ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The first footage of the nighttime raid showed the US special forces firing at ISIS terrorists on the ground as they flew towards the compound where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was hiding. Another video showed bombs falling on the structure where al-Baghdadi was hiding. 

One video, released by US Central Command General Kenneth McKenzie, showed small black silhouettes of US soldiers approaching the walls of the compound. In another footage, bombs could be seen falling on the site followed by a flash and the screen turning grey. US aircraft involved in the operation were fired upon by ISIS militants from two locations in the vicinity of the compound, said General Kenneth McKenzie.

When the US special forces stormed into the compound, Baghdadi fled into a tunnel and killed himself by detonating a suicide vest. After the raid, the compound was destroyed with munitions. The destroyed buildings were left looking like “a parking lot with large potholes”, said General Kenneth McKenzie. The top military official, however, could not confirm President Donald Trump’s graphic description of Baghdadi whimpering and crying as he died.

“He crawled into a hole with two small children and blew himself up while his people stayed on the ground. You can deduce what kind of person it is based on that activity,” he told a news conference, adding that “every effort was made to avoid civilian casualties”.