BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement in response to the announcement that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed during a raid led by American forces:

“Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was a murderous extremist who spent his life advancing hate and violence, and his death means that the world is a safer place. I am grateful for the American military personnel who performed the dangerous raid with bravery and professionalism, the intelligence community’s painstaking efforts to locate al-Baghdadi, and the support of our regional partners who have stood with us against ISIS for years. This is a model for America’s war against terror – rooted in good intelligence, coordinated with strategic partners, and carried out by unparalleled military forces.

“Today is a good day, and an important step forward in a complex campaign – but we cannot fool ourselves into thinking that this marks the end of ISIS, which may be especially active in the weeks ahead in response. Al-Baghdadi is dead, but his hateful, abhorrent ideology survives. We must remain vigilant in our efforts to defend our nation, and committed to advancing a strategic foreign policy that blocks ISIS from gaining a new foothold from which it can plan attacks upon America and our allies and partners.”