Updated | ISIS leader killed himself during US raid, Trump confirms

Donald Trump has confirmed that the leader of jihadi terrorist organisation Islamic State was killed during a raid by the US military in northwest Syria on Saturday.

ISIS leader and founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed himself by detonating a suicide belt, the US president said.

Three of Baghdadi’s children - who he had drawn beside him into a tunnel in the house he was hiding in as US special forces closed in on him - were also killed in the blast.

“Last night the United Stated brought the world’s number one terrorist leader to justice. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead,” Trump said during a White House press conference on Sunday afternoon.

Capturing Baghdadi, Trump said, had been the top foreign policy priority of his administration. No US forces personnel were killed during the operation.

Test results confirmed beyond any doubt that Baghdadi had died, he said.

“The thug who tried so hard to intimidate others spent the last moment of his life in total dread, fearing the American forces coming down on him,” Trump said.

"He died like a dog, he died like a coward. He was skimpering, whimpering and crying."

Trump added that documents had been found in the house Baghdadi was in which included information on the origins of ISIS and its future plans.

Earlier today, Trump tweeted that “Something very big has just happened!”, without elaborating.

Baghdadi’s death will undoubtedly deal a huge blow to ISIS, which has operated in the region since mid-2014.

The terrorist group was responsible for brutal acts of terror across the world, worsening a mass exodus of refugees and triggering a war to combat them with left thousands dead and displaced millions.

It will also provide a boost to the Trump administration, a year before he is due to run for re-election.

The raid came after a month-long intelligence operation that had located Baghdadi’s whereabouts in the region using the help of a smuggler who had moved the wives of two of his brothers from Iraq to Idlib, according to reports.