A photo of the Belgian Malinois service dog that was injured during the raid on the hideout of the ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria was officially released yesterday.
Although President Donald Trump tweeted a photo of the “wonderful” female dog that participated in the raid on Baghdadi’s lair on Saturday, he did not release the name of the dog. However, some media reports claimed that multiple Defense Department sources confirmed that the service dog’s named is Conan, after the Comedian Conan O’Brien.
“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,” President Trump tweeted.
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
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 28, 2019
The Belgian Malinois dog reportedly chased down al-Baghdadi during the Saturday night raid in the Syrian province of Idlib. She was reportedly wounded when the ISIS leader detonated his suicide vest. But sources said that the dog’s injuries were minor and that she was being treated by vets.
Since the authorities released the photo of the female service dog and she was identified as a Belgian Malinois dog, people have making inquiries about the breed. If you have also been searching for information about the breed of dog known as Belgian Malinois, here is what you need to know.
What is a Belgian Malinois?
The Belgian Malinois is a breed of working dog. They were originally bred to be herding dogs. They resemble the German Shepherd in appearance and are often mistaken for them.
Some breeders consider them to be only one of four varieties of Belgian Shepherd dog rather than a separate breed. The other varieties of Belgian Shepherd are Groenendael, Laekenois, and Tervuren.
The breed is named Malinois after the Flemish city of Mechelen in the province of Antwerp, Belgium where they are believed to have originated from.
Malinois is the French-derived adjective used in reference to things related to or derived from Mechelen (French: Malines) in the Flemish Region of Belgium.
The breed has a reputation for agility, obedience, intelligence, courage, and aggression when required. The US military, and other security forces around the world, often use Belgian Malinois dogs as guide, protection, detection, and guard dogs. They are used by the police and the military for tracking, arresting, and apprehending suspects. They are also used for the detection of explosives and narcotics.
Rescue organizations use them for search and rescue missions. They are popular as family pets and often feature in dog shows.
Belgian Malinois dogs guarded the White House when Barack Obama was president.
A Belgian Malinois named Cario accompanied the team of Navy Seals that took out Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in his Abbottabad hideout in Pakistan in 2011.
Belgian Malinois males stand at about 24-26 inches in height, while females are about 22-24 inches. The males weigh about 60-80 pounds and females about 40-60 pounds. Their life expectancy is 14 to 16 years.