President Trump issued a thank you to dogs who serve in the U.S. military on Friday.
As a part of National K-9 Veterans Day, Trump included a special message to Conan, the dog who cornered Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi prior to his death in October.
“Just recently our Nation witnessed the power and might of these remarkable K-9s. Conan, a military working dog from 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, played a key role in eliminating Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — the world’s number one terrorist leader,” Trump said in a statement. “Conan chased the terrorist into a dead-end tunnel where, trapped, he met his rightful demise.”
Trump continued, “Many of our bravest and most adept military personnel were involved in the raid that brought this evil ISIS leader to justice, and Conan bravely worked by their side. Thanks to Conan, no American personnel were lost in the operation, further demonstrating the vital role K-9s play in safeguarding our national security.”
Trump also tweeted out a photo of Conan.
We have declassified a picture of the wonderful dog (name not declassified) that did such a GREAT JOB in capturing and killing the Leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi! pic.twitter.com/PDMx9nZWvw
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 28, 2019
During the U.S. raid to kill Baghdadi, Conan was injured by exposed electrical wires. The dog recovered quickly and was returned to active duty after a brief visit to be honored at the White House.
Trump lauded Conan, a Belgian Malinois, as “the ultimate fighter” who completed more than 50 missions.
The K-9 Corps, which was established in 1942, has trained more than 30,000 dogs to serve in the military as guard dogs, bomb-detecting dogs, and message carriers. There are around 2,500 active-duty K-9s currently working in the U.S. military.
