Belgian Malinois, whose name has not officially been released, was injured in the raid in Syria

This article is more than 10 months old

This article is more than 10 months old

Donald Trump has tweeted a photo of a dog that took part in the raid targeting the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The “wonderful” Belgian Malinois was injured when Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest on Saturday night inside his Syrian compound.

Trump said he had declassified the image of the dog, but not its name. However, a Newsweek report citing multiple sources said the dog was called Conan – after the comedian Conan O’Brien – and was female.

On Sunday, the US president had hailed the dog as a “good boy”, “beautiful” and “talented”, who had chased down Baghdadi moments before he detonated his vest. The dog sustained minor injuries and was being treated by vets.

Baghdadi, one of the world’s most wanted men, died during a US operation in the Syrian province of Idlib.

“We have declassified a picture of the wonderful dog (name not declassified) that did such a GREAT JOB,” Trump wrote on Monday.

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 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! pic.twitter.com/PDMx9nZWvw

At a press conference on Monday, Gen Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, told reporters: “We’re not releasing the name of the dog right now … the dog is still in theatre.”

The defence secretary, Mark Esper, said the dog “performed a tremendous service, as they all do”.

The US military commonly uses Belgian Malinois dogs to guide and protect troops, search out enemy forces and look for explosives. The breed is prized for its intelligence and ability to be aggressive on command, said Ron Aiello, president of the United States War Dogs Association.

“That’s the kind of dog you want to lead a patrol like this,” said Aiello, a former Marine dog handler whose organisation helps active duty and retired military dogs. “They are the first line of defence. They go out front.”

Not releasing the name makes sense as a security precaution for the same reason you would not identify the troops who took part in the raid, he said. “There could be retaliation.”

A Belgian Malinois service dog named Cairo accompanied US Navy Seals in the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida, in Pakistan. President Barack Obama met the dog at a ceremony to honour the commandos.