Don't brag: Ill-timed selfie by ISIS militant helps US trace, bomb hideout

The US Armed Forces used social media to track down one of the key Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) headquarters after an ‘over-zealous’ militant posted a selfie on his account.

Following the post, the command centre had been destroyed by air strikes less than a day after officers found the original post, reports Defensetech.

Air Force General Herbert 'Hawk' Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, said: 'They’re combing through social media and they see someone standing at this command. And in some social media, open forum, bragging about the command and control capabilities for Daesh.

The US Armed Forces will make use of everything to take down the militants, including social media, he added.

The incident originally happened back in February but was made public this week at an Air Force Association event.

ISIS is making full use of social media to get its message out as well as recruiting people to their cause, but it has backfired.

Members of the US Air Force 361st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group working out of Hulbert Field, Florida recognised a comment on social media as part of their intelligence duties. A member of ISIS had posted a selfie, with the same person also posting on an open forum detailing the command and control capabilities at the location. A bit of research using the image data revealed the specific location of the building.

Tweny two hours later, the Air Force launched three Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) missiles and destroyed the building.