Congressman Kim Statement on the Death of ISIS Leader Al-Baghdadi

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) released the following statement in response to the death of ISIS leader Abu Al-Baghdadi.

"The death of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi is a massive blow in the fight against ISIS and their hateful mark on the world. My first thoughts are of deep gratitude to our armed servicemen and women and our civilians throughout our intelligence and national security operations who oversaw and carried out this dangerous operation.

Having myself worked before to track Al-Baghdadi and other senior ISIS leaders, I know the painstaking work that our professionals and partners undertook to make this possible. Today I also think of those innocent victims murdered at Al-Baghdadi's order. No measure of justice can be achieved in the face of the genocide Al-Baghdadi unleashed through an unrelenting campaign of ultraviolence. I hope we all pause today to remember what went through our minds when we heard about the Yezidis trapped on Sinjar Mountain or the tragic deaths of Americans held hostage by ISIS. People across our country and across the globe unified against Al-Baghdadi's twisted ideology.

Even after his death, let us remain vigilant and unified against the threats we face, and let us recommit ourselves to embrace the diversity and freedom that Al-Baghdadi so badly despised."

Congressman Kim a co-chair of the House Democratic Caucus National Security Task Force. He is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves the Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness and as a Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities. Prior to serving in Congress, Congressman Kim served in Afghanistan as Strategic Advisor to Generals David Petraeus and John Allen. Kim went on to serve as Director of Iraq in Obama's National Security Council where he coordinated the crisis response to countering the rise of ISIS.