Washington: US President Donald Trump has honoured and lavished praise on ‘Conan’, the specially trained military service dog who helped American commandoes in the raid that led to the death of Islamic State chief Abu Bakr-al Baghdadi.
Baghdadi, 48, died October 26 after the world’s most wanted terrorist was chased by the US Special Forces along with military service dogs. He blew up his suicide vest in a tunnel following the US raid on his compound in Syria’s Idlib province.
‘Conan’, a Belgian Malinois military service dog, was injured during the mission. The dog has since made a full recovery. The dog, along with his new handler, visited Monday the White House and met President Trump in his Oval Office.
It later appeared before the White House press corps in the Rose Garden along with Trump, First Lady Melania and Vice-President Mike Pence.
Introducing ‘Conan’ as ‘probably the world’s most famous dog’, Trump said he had given the dog a plaque and called the canine commando ‘so brilliant, so smart’. Conan was hailed by Trump as a ‘special’ animal who helped execute a ‘flawless attack’ on Baghdadi. The US President also described the dog as ‘incredible’.
Trump also met with Special Forces involved in the attack in Northern Syria that resulted in the death of Baghdadi. The commandoes do not come out in the public.
According to a White House official, Conan was not accompanied by his normal handler for this appearance since he participated in the Baghdadi raid and cannot appear publicly.
AFP