Baghdadi killed in raid by US forces: Trump

WASHINGTON: American President Donald J. Trump confirmed on Sunday that Daesh supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been killed in an operation conducted by American forces.

“The number one terrorist in the world has been killed,” said Trump in a video message. “He was killed by an operation conducted by the US forces. Baghdadi was in a ditch.”

The elusive chief of Daesh was thought to be dead after a US military raid in the Idlib region, US media reported early on Sunday.

The White House announced President Donald Trump would make a "major statement" on Sunday at 9:00 am (1300 GMT), without providing details.

A war monitor said US helicopters dropped forces in an area of Idlib where "groups linked to Daesh" were present.

Trump said that Baghdadi had killed himself in a suicide bomb attack. He said that the explosion also killed three of Baghdadi’s children. 

Daesh head Baghdadi believed dead after US strike in Syria

US media cited multiple government sources as saying Baghdadi may have killed himself with a suicide vest as US special operations forces descended.

He was the target of the secretly planned operation that was approved by Trump, officials said according to US media.

The commander-in-chief of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces who have been fighting IS in Syria said the operation came after "joint intelligence work" with American forces.

"A historic operation is successful as a consequence of joint intelligence work with the United States of America," he said on Twitter shortly after the news broke.

From the outskirts of Barisha, an inhabitant of a camp for the displaced also heard helicopters followed by what he described as coalition air strikes.