Dem Staffer Who Filmed His Sexcapades in a Senate Hearing Room Later Checked...
CNN's Scott Jennings Knew Exactly Why Seinfeld Creator Larry David Attacked Bill Maher
New Jersey Republicans Are Getting Help From a Familiar Individual
Weirdo Lib Wearing What Appears to Be a Luigi Mangione T-Shirt Attacks Trump...
Independent Journalist Used Two Words That Perfectly Described Taylor Lorenz
Is This Trump's Best Line From the White House Easter Egg Roll?
The Left's Obsession With Clipping Pete Hegseth Is Bordering on Psychotic
Trump Won’t Get Tricked Into Sacrificing Pete Hegseth to the Democrats
How Trump Handled Biggs Entering the AZ Governor's Race After He Already Endorsed...
The White House Responds After Harvard Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Fun...
A Familiar Face Jumps in Race for California Governor
Harvard Presidents—On Sale at Macy's
Scott Jennings, Mike Lawler Offer Crucial Reminders About Funding for Harvard in Light...
Dylan Mulvaney Plans on Leaving the US. Here's Where He's Headed.
Exposed: Another Bogus Immigration 'Controversy' Falls Apart
Tipsheet

Here's How The CIA Learned About al-Baghdadi's Whereabouts

AP Photo/Militant video, File

President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He died during a secret nighttime mission Saturday night Eastern Standard Time.

Advertisement

According to the New York Times, the CIA learned about al-Baghdadi's location in northwestern Syria after arresting and interrogating one of his wives and a courier earlier this summer. The intelligence agency then worked with Iraqi and Kurdish intelligence officials in Iraq and Syria to narrow down his location. The group did this by placing spies to monitor al-Baghdadi's movements.

From the Times:

The initial planning for the raid began this past summer. The Army’s elite Delta Force commando unit began drawing up and rehearsing plans to conduct a secret mission to kill or capture the ISIS leader, and faced huge hurdles. The location was deep inside territory controlled by Al Qaeda. The skies over that part of the country were controlled by Syria and Russia. The military called off missions at the last minute at least twice.

“It wasn’t until Thursday and then Friday the president chose his option and gave us the green light to proceed as we did yesterday,” Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Advertisement

When President Trump announced American forces would be vacating northern Syria, Pentagon officials "were forced to press ahead with a risky, night raid before their ability to control troops and spies and reconnaissance aircraft disappeared, according to military, intelligence and counterterrorism officials."

One official told the Times Syrian and Iraqi Kurds provided the most intelligence for the raid, more than any single country. During his address, President Trump thanked Russia, Turkey, Syria, Iraq and the Syrian Kurds for helping with the mission. 

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement