Small Wars Journal

American Commando Raid to Kill al-Baghdadi Launched From al-Asad Airbase, Rehearsals Conducted in Erbil

Tue, 10/29/2019 - 4:47am

American Commando Raid to Kill al-Baghdadi Launched From al-Asad Airbase, Rehearsals Conducted in Erbil by Shawn Snow and Howard Altman – Military Times

The American commando raid that bagged Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was launched from the sprawling al-Asad airbase in Anbar province Iraq, according to a source on the ground with direct knowledge of the operation.

The source told Military Times on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record that U.S. forces rehearsed the raid in Erbil, Iraq, using concrete T-walls to practice breaching. While on the ground during the raid to capture or kill the ISIS leader, American forces blew a hole in the side of the compound — avoiding the booby-trapped entrance, President Donald Trump detailed Sunday morning.

American commandos also launched from a second location in Syria, the source said. But its unknown if the target of that raid force was al-Baghdadi. Military Times is withholding the location of where U.S. forces launched from within Syria due to operational security concerns. The site is home to a Joint Special Operations Command base hosting Delta Force and Army Rangers…

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