Trump says ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead

The ideological leader of ISIS died in a US-led raid in northwestern Syria, President Trump said Sunday, fulfilling a long-held American goal and marking the most significant setback for the militant group since losing the last of its territorial caliphate earlier this year.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was 48 years old, killed himself and three children, detonating a suicide vest in a tunnel while being pursued by US troops, Mr. Trump said.

Baghdadi was considered ISIS ideological leader and responsible for its reign of terror across Iraq and Syria. The group has displaced tens of thousands of people and perpetrated widespread barbarism, including rapes and video-recorded beheadings.

The president announced the news at the White House, where he spoke for 48 minutes about a raid he said was like watching a movie in the Situation Room, describing a development he said showed the reach of the American military and its ability to bring terrorists to justice.

“He was a sick and depraved man and now he’s gone,” Mr. Trump said of Baghdadi. “He died like a dog. He died like a coward. The world is a much safer place.”