US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has said that the US military dog that was injured in the raid that killed Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi will visit the White House next week. 

Trump has repeatedly focused on the role of the canine in the deadly operation, calling it a “beautiful dog, a talented dog” in the press conference in the aftermath of the raid. 

Trump mentioned the dog several times during the press conference and had said that it was the only member of the US team injured in the raid in northern Syria.

The Pentagon later gave details of the dog’s injuries and said it has since had returned to active duty.

“Nobody was even hurt. Our canine as they call it, I call it a dog. A beautiful dog, a talented dog, was injured and brought back,” Trump said. 

The day following Trump’s press conference, Trump tweeted an image of the dog and said its image had been declassified but that its name had not. 

“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,” Trump said.

Last night, Trump returned to the dog again and tweeted a doctored photo that showed him placing a medal around the dog’s neck, calling the dog an “American Hero!”.

The faked image was apparently created by right-wing US news website The Daily Wire after it combined the photo of the dog shared by Trump and a 2017 photo of an actual medal presentation by Trump in the White House. 

The actual medal presentation featured retired army medic James McCloughan, who saved the lives of 10 men during the Vietnam War. 

After US news outlets began reporting that Trump had indeed shared a faked image, Trump tweeted again thanking those who made it and seemingly declassifying the dog’s name. 

“Thank you Daily Wire. Very cute recreation, but the “live” version of Conan will be leaving the Middle East for the White House sometime next week!,” Trump tweeted.

Working dogs

Speaking to reporters yesterday, General Frank McKenzie, who leads US Central Command, told reporters the dog was injured when it came in contact with the cables as it pursued al-Baghdadi in a tunnel underneath a compound in northwestern Syria.

McKenzie said the dog has worked with special operations forces for four years and taken part in about 50 missions. He said such working dogs are “critical members of our forces.”

McKenzie was speaking to the media as he presented a video and photos of the US special forces raid that resulted in the death of al-Baghdadi.

In addition to the leader of the so-called Islamic State, two children, four women and one man were killed at the compound.