Donald Trump 'declassifies' name of dog who helped take down Baghdadi

In a tweet on Wednesday night, US President Donald Trump disclosed the name of the dog (whose identity was kept a secret) who cornered the Islamic State terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a tunnel during the US special operations in northern Syria last week. The US President, who had earlier said that the dog’s name was classified, revealed in a Twitter post that the Belgian Malinois is called ‘Conan’, and will leave the Middle East for the White House next week.

Read: Donald Trump Tweets Fake Photo Of Hero Dog Getting Medal Of Honor

Shared a fake image

US President Trump quoted his earlier tweet where he had shared a fake image of the military dog being honoured by him. The image was an altered version of an actual photograph which was edited by an American conservative news website. In the original photograph, James McCloughan, a retired army medic, was awarded the medal of honor in 2017 for saving the lives of 10 people in the Vietnam war. 

The conservative website’s editor-in-chief called it an obvious joke and not to be taken seriously.  “There is simply no way to take the media seriously when they fact-check obvious jokes. No one thinks Trump actually gave a medal to a dog.” 

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Conan injured by exposed live electrical cables

Meanwhile, US Central Command Commander General Kenneth McKenzie said that the dog has returned to service. “He was injured by exposed live electrical cables in the tunnel after Baghdadi detonated his vest beneath the compound,” the general said. Conan was injured when Baghdadi killed himself detonating a suicide vest after the former chased the terrorist through a tunnel connected to his Syrian safe house.

Declassified picture of Conan

The US President had first tweeted a picture of the dog on October 28 commending him for doing a "great job in capturing and killing" Baghdadi.

On October 27, during a media briefing at the White House, Trump called the dog talented and beautiful. “K-9, as they call - I call it a dog, a beautiful dog, a talented dog - was injured and brought back.”

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Read: Donald Trump Confirms Killing Of Baghdadi's 'replacement' By US Troops