U.S. forces, in collaboration with Iraqi intelligence and security services, successfully killed a high-profile leader of ISIS in a precision airstrike on Thursday in western Iraq.
Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, known by his alias “Abu Khadijah,” was one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and globally, CNN reports.
“Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed,” President Donald Trump posted on his social media handle Truth Social. “He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters. His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS, in coordination with the Iraqi Government and the Kurdish Regional Government. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!,” Trump adds.
As the “deputy caliph” of ISIS, he was a key figure in the organization, overseeing global operations, logistics, and financial matters, CNN adds.
The strike took place in Al Anbar province, where both Abu Khadijah and another ISIS operative were found dead at the scene, wearing unexploded suicide vests and carrying multiple weapons. U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, confirmed that Abu Khadijah’s identity was confirmed through DNA collected from a previous raid where he narrowly escaped capture.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani hailed the operation, calling it a significant blow to ISIS, which continues to operate in multiple regions despite losing control over large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria years ago.
“The Iraqis continue their remarkable victories against the forces of darkness and terrorism,” he posted on X.
The U.S. and Iraqi forces’ joint effort marks a major victory in the fight against terrorism.
Despite a decline in ISIS territorial control, the group remains active and poses a continuing threat, as evidenced by a deadly attack in Moscow in March 2024.
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