BARISHA, SYRIA — U.S. President Donald Trump triumphantly announced the death of the Islamic State's elusive leader during a raid on his safehouse. Here's how the raid went down.<br /><br />The Guardian reports that around 5 p.m. on Saturday, eight helicopters, mostly CH-47s, flew from an airbase in northern Iraq to ISIS leader Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi's compound in the Syrian village of Barisha.<br /><br />The helicopters, which were carrying Delta Force commandos, were met with local gunfire while in transit, but returned fire and eliminated the threat.<br /><br />At the compound, troops avoided the booby-trapped main door and breached a wall to gain entry into the building.<br /><br />According to Trump, U.S. forces killed a 'large number' of militants during a gun battle. At least two ISIS fighters were captured, and 11 children rescued. Two of Baghdadi's wives were also killed, but their suicide vests were unexploded.<br /><br />Baghdadi, who also wore a suicide vest, fled to an underground tunnel with three children while being chased by U.S. Delta Forces and K9 units. He detonated his vest after running into a dead-end, killing himself and the children.<br /><br />The explosion caused the tunnel to collapse, and caused serious injury to one dog. No U.S. personnel were killed.<br /><br />The BBC reports that while the blast mutilated Baghdadi's body, an on-site DNA test positively confirmed his identity.<br /><br />Trump said U.S. forces searched the compound for about two hours and found a trove of intelligence. The New York Times reports that recovered electronic records and documents may contain information on the terror group's organization, finances and plans.<br /><br />The U.S. then bombed the entire compound afterward to make sure it was destroyed.<br /><br />Fox News reports that ISIS spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir, a possible successor to al-Baghadi, was killed in Northern Syria one day after the raid.<br /><br />According to the New York Times, Muhajir was being smuggled in the back of an oil tanker truck when a U.S. air raid destroyed the vehicle.<br /><br />The Guardian reports that the Syrian Democratic Forces later claimed they played a key role in tracking Baghdadi to the Bashira compound, even taking a pair of underwear and a blood sample to confirm it was him.
