Hero dog returns to duty after al-Baghdadi Syria raid, says US general

A US service dog who was injured during the raid at the hideout of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in northwestern Syria has returned to service, a top Pentagon official said. The dog is a four-year veteran of the SOCOM Canine Program and has been a member of approximately 50 combat missions, US Central Command Commander General Kenneth McKenzie told reporters at a Pentagon news conference on Wednesday.

"He was injured by exposed live electrical cables in the tunnel after Baghdadi detonated his vest beneath the compound, the general said, adding the dog, whose name was not revealed, has returned to duty.

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McKenzie said that US special operations command military working dogs are critical members of the US forces. These animals protect US forces, save civilian lives, separate combatants from noncombatants, and immobilize individuals who express hostile intent, he said. These special dogs are very good at scenting humans and going after them when they're not immediately obvious. 

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's safe house in northwest Syria was stormed on Sunday by special forces along with military working dogs and chased the world's most wanted terrorist leader as he tried to flee. He was cornered in a tunnel beneath the building.

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Pentagon releases video

On Wednesday, the Pentagon released visuals of the US special forces raid that resulted in the death of ISIS caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Among the images released by the Defence Department was grainy black-and-white footage of US troops approaching on foot the high-walled compound in northwestern Syria where Baghdadi was holed up. The Pentagon also released a video of airstrikes on a group of unknown fighters on the ground who opened fire on the helicopters that ferried US forces in for the assault on Baghdadi's compound in Syria's Idlib province.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was then buried at sea within 24 hours of his death "in accordance with the laws of armed conflict," Marine Corps General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of US Central Command said. He further added that the hero dog, who pursued Baghdadi into the tunnel was a four-year veteran of 50 combat missions and had been injured by exposed live cables in the tunnel. McKenzie said that despite Baghdadi's death, IS remains "dangerous." "We're under no illusions that it will go away just because we killed Baghdadi," he said. "It will remain."  

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(With PTI inputs)