Thread by @jseldin

Happening now: @DeptofDefense Sec. @EsperDoD and @thejointstaff Chairman, Gen. Mark Milley, brief on the US takedown of #ISIS leader Abu Bakr al #Baghdadi...

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff Death of #ISIS' #Baghdadi "marks a devastating blow for the remnants of ISIS, who are now deprived of their inspirational leader" per @EsperDoD

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff "Our services members conducted themselves with incredible skill and professionalism" per @EsperDoD "They executed the raid, in all of its facets, brilliantly"

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff "Despite #Baghdadi's death, the security situation inside #Syria remains complex" per @EsperDoD "It is very easy to get drawn into continued conflict if our objectives are not clear"

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff "Acting as a police force out to solve every dispute is no our mission" per @EsperDoD "Our mission in #Syria today remains the same as it was when we first began operations in 2014 - to enable the enduring defeat of #ISIS"

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff US forces remaining in #Syria will continue counterterror ops while "remaining in close contact w/the Syrian Democratic Forces who have fought alongside us" per @EsperDoD "Additionally the #UnitedStates will retain control of oil fields..." and deny #ISIS action

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff US will respond w/overwhelming force to anyone who threatens US forces protecting the oil fields, warns @EsperDoD

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff "#Baghdadi's death will not rid the world of terrorism or end the ongoing conflict in #Syria. But it will certainly send a message to those who would question America's resolve" per @EsperDoD, warning US "will hunt to the ends of the earth" those who would bring harm to Americans

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff Remains of #ISIS leader Abu Bakr al #Baghdadi "transported to a secure facility to confirm his identity" w/DNA testing, per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley "The disposal of his remains has been done, is complete & was handled appropriately"

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff "We have begun redeploying, position assets into the vicinity of Deir El-Zor" per @EsperDoD, including mechanized forces

"That will continue until we believe we have sufficient capability"

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff US has video/photos of the final moments of #ISIS' #Baghdadi
"We're not prepared at this time to release them" per Gen Milley "They're going through the declassification process" and some will be released...

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff US used JASSMs, GBUs, Hellfires, small arms in attack on #Baghdadi compound, per Gen Milley

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff "There was material taken way. I don't want to say exactly what or how much" per Gen Milley of info taken #ISIS compound where #Baghdadi was killed

"It was an area in which he was staying on a consistent basis"

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff US forces captured 2 adult #ISIS men during the raid on the #Baghdadi compound - both in US custody, per @thejointstaff 's Gen Milley

@DeptofDefense @EsperDoD @thejointstaff US military task is "to secure the #Conoco oil fields in and around Deir El-Zor" per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley "...in order to prevent #ISIS from resurgence"

More on oil-US forces : Orders include denying #Syria #Russia access to the oil fields "bcs we want to make sure SDF does have access to the resources in order to guard the prisons, in order to arm their own troops, in order to assist us w/the defeat #ISIS mission" per @EsperDoD

@EsperDoD Assertion by @POTUS that #ISIS leader Abu Bakr al #Baghdadi was "whimpering" & "crying" before his death likely came from discussions w/US members, per Gen Milley, who says he hasn't spoken to forces or heard that himself

@EsperDoD @POTUS In #Syria, "At the end of the day, we will be sending troops home" per @EsperDoD "The president made a commitment to do that"

"In the meantime we are going to reinforce and make some other moves" to accomplish mission

@EsperDoD @POTUS "This was a US only operation for personnel that were on the objective" per @thejointstaff's Gen Milley, asked abt #SDF claims it had a member with US forces on the ground