Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's was identified by his underpants, after an undercover source swiped them for DNA testing to prove his identity before the U.S operation to kill him.
Polat Can, a senior advisor to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, gave details on Twitter today about how SDF intelligence work had helped locate Baghdadi, whose death was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday.
"Our own source, who had been able to reach al-Baghdadi, brought al-Baghdadi's underwear to conduct a DNA test and make sure (100%) that the person in question was al-Baghdadi himself," Can said.
Trump has said that the Kurds provided some information "helpful" to the operation.
Can said the SDF had been working since May 15 with the CIA to track Baghdadi, and managed to confirm that he had moved from Deir al-Zor in eastern Syria to Idlib, where he was killed.
Baghdadi had been about to change location to the Syrian town of Jarablus when the operation happened, he said.
"All intelligence and access to al-Baghdadi as well as the identification of his place, were the result of our own work.
"Our intelligence source was involved in sending coordinates, directing the airdrop, participating in and making the operation a success until the last minute," Can said.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for ISIS, Abu Hassan al-Muhajir, was also killed on Sunday in northern Syria hours after al-Baghdadi was slain, Al Jazeera reported a Kurdish official as saying.
SDF chief Mazloum Abdi said on Twitter: "Al-Muhajir, the right-hand of Baghdadi and the spokesman for IS, was targeted in the village of Ain al-Baydah near Jarablus, in a coordinated operation between SDF intelligence and the US army."
Al Jazeera reports two trucks were hit in air strikes and five ISIS members were killed.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the death of al-Muhajir.
SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said on Twitter: "We believe ISIS spox. Al-Muhajir was in Jarablus to facilitate Baghdadi's entry to Euphrates Shield area. The two US-led operations have effectively disabled top ISIS leadership who were hiding.
"More still remain hiding in the same area."
