Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is believed to have been killed in a U.S. military operation in Syria, sources in Syria, Iraq and Iran said on Sunday, as U.S. President Donald Trump prepared to make a "major statement" at the White House.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition ofanonymity, told Reuters that Baghdadi was targeted in the overnight raid butwas unable to say whether the operation was successful.
A commander of one of the militant factionsin the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib said Baghdadi was believed to havebeen killed in a raid after midnight on Saturday involving helicopters,warplanes and a ground clash in the village of Brisha near the Turkish border.
Two Iraqi security sources and two Iranianofficials said they had received confirmation from inside Syria that Baghdadihad been killed.
"Our sources from inside Syria haveconfirmed to the Iraqi intelligence team tasked with pursuing Baghdadi that hehas been killed alongside his personal bodyguard in Idlib after his hidingplace was discovered when he tried to get his family out of Idlib towards theTurkish border," one of the Iraqi officials said.
U.S. magazine Newsweek, which firstreported the news, said it had been told by a U.S. Army official briefed on theraid that Baghdadi was dead. It said the operation was carried out by specialoperations forces after receiving actionable intelligence.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond toa request for comment.
White House spokesman Hogan Gidleyannounced late on Saturday that Trump would make a "major statement"at 9 a.m. EST (1300 GMT) on Sunday. Gidley gave no further details.
The president gave an indication thatsomething was afoot earlier on Saturday night when he tweeted withoutexplanation, "Something very big has just happened!"
Trump has faced withering criticism fromboth Republicans and Democrats alike for his U.S. troop withdrawal fromnortheastern Syria, which permitted Turkey to attack America's Kurdish allies.
