ISIS chief Baghdadi buried at sea, afforded religious rites
ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was revealed to have died recently, has been buried at sea, US officials said on Monday. Reportedly, Baghdadi was buried at sea within 24 hours of his death in accordance with Islamic tradition and was afforded religious rites. US President Donald Trump revealed that Baghdadi blew himself up during a US military operation in northwest Syria.
Baghdadi buried at sea to avoid grave becoming a shrine
A Pentagon source told AFP that Baghdadi's body had been buried at sea, however, did not reveal when or exactly where the burial took place. The official added that the burial mirrored that of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's burial. The US avoided an identifiable burial site, such as on land, to avoid it becoming a shrine to the terrorist, The Telegraph reported.
Here's how Osama bin Laden was buried
To recall, Laden, killed in a 2011 raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was also buried at sea. His body was washed, covered in a white sheet, and religious Arabic remarks were read aboard the USS Carl Vinson, a US aircraft carrier. According to The Telegraph, when asked if the same format was followed for Baghdadi, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said, "I would expect that to be the case."
'Remains disposed in accordance with law of armed conflict'
Notably, General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon, "Baghdadi's remains were transported to a secure facility to confirm his identity with forensic DNA testing and the disposal of his remains has been done. It is complete and was handled appropriately." He added, "His remains were disposed of appropriately in accordance with the law of armed conflict."
How did Baghdadi die?
During a US operation in northwest Syria, Baghdadi was chased down a dead-end subterranean tunnel by a military dog. With no escape, Baghdadi blew himself up with a suicide vest, also killing three children, whom he held captive. The dog, whose image was declassified by Trump, was also injured. A medical test of his body parts confirmed that Baghdadi had died.
