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Here's How the CIA Marked the Fifth Anniversary of Killing Osama Bin Laden

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3:39 pm EDT - Usama Bin Ladin found on third floor and killed #UBLRaid

 Mike Opelka
May 02, 2016
Image source: FBI.gov

It has been five years since the Navy's SEAL Team Six conducted a successful raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killing the Al Qaeda founder.

On Sunday, starting at 1:25 p.m. EDT, the CIA marked the anniversary by tweeting out the timeline of the raid, giving social media readers a real-time re-creation of the mission.

This news was also announced on the CIA's Facebook page.

The CIA's re-creation began on the afternoon of May 1, at 1:25 p.m. EDT or 10:25 p.m. in Pakistan with the formal approval of the operation.

After midnight in Abbottabad, Pakistan, two U.S. military helicopters arrived at bin Laden's compound.

Following the confirmation of bin Laden's death, the operation began exiting the compound.

President Obama received the official word of bin Laden's death just after 7 p.m. About four and a half hours later, Obama addressed the nation, announcing the news.

Not everyone was pleased with the CIA's re-living the successful mission to kill bin Laden.

For those without Twitter, the agency also posted a simple timeline on its website.

Timeline of the Raid

May 1 - EDT

1:25 p.m. EDT —President Obama, DCIA Panetta, and JSOC commander Admiral McRaven approve execution of the operation.

1:51 p.m. EDT — Helicopters depart from Afghanistan.

3:30 p.m. EDT — Two helicopters descend on the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan (north of Islamabad). One crashes, but the assault continues without delay or injury.

3:32 p.m. EDT — President Obama, in the Situation Room, receives up to the minute reports on the situation on the ground in Abbottabad.

3:39 p.m. EDT — Usama Bin Ladin is found on third floor and killed.

3:53 p.m. EDT — President Obama receives tentative confirmation of positive identification of Bin Ladin.

3:55 p.m. EDT —Bin Ladin’s body is moved to the first floor and placed in a body bag.

3:39 p.m. – 4:10 p.m. EDT – Assault Team retrieves a large quantity of materials from the compound for intelligence analysis.

4:05 p.m. EDT – First helicopter leaves the area.

4:08 p.m. EDT —Assault Team destroys the crashed helicopter.

4:10 p.m. EDT —Backup helicopter picks up remaining team members and materials and leaves Abbottabad.

5:53 p.m. EDT — Helicopters return to Afghanistan where Admiral McRaven greets the team.

7:01 p.m. EDT — President Obama receives confirmations of high probability of positive identification of Bin Ladin.

11:35 p.m. EDT — President Obama speaks to the nation from the East Room.

May 2 - EDT

12:59 a.m. EDT — Bin Ladin’s body is buried at sea from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the north Arabian Sea.

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