This archive report was first published on 29 October 2019.
On October 27, 2019, a US military operation in Syria resulted in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group. The operation involved a special forces weekend assault, during which a military dog played a crucial role.
According to General Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the dog was slightly wounded in the operation but has since recovered and returned to duty.
President Donald Trump had previously praised the dog's bravery, saying it had pursued al-Baghdadi into a dark tunnel where he blew himself up with a suicide vest, killing himself and three children and wounding the dog.
Trump tweeted a picture of the dog on October 28, 2019, saying it had done a "GREAT JOB." However, he declined to reveal the dog's name, citing national security concerns.
