US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the head of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq, along with another unidentified member of the terror group, was killed in a coordinated operation involving US, Iraqi, and Kurdish forces.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed the operation, identifying the slain ISIS leader as Abdullah Maki Musleh al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadija. In a statement on X, al-Sudani praised the efforts of Iraqi security forces and the US-led coalition, calling Abu Khadija “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world.” He added that the elimination of Abu Khadija marks another significant victory in Iraq’s ongoing fight against terrorism.
Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to share the news, stating, “Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters.”
Shortly after Trump’s post, the White House shared visuals of the airstrike carried out to eliminate Abu Khadija.
Credit: X/@WhiteHouse
Trump further described the collaborative nature of the operation, stating, “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!”
Abu Khadija was a high-ranking ISIS operative known for his lethal influence within the organisation. He was considered a potential contender for the position of ISIS’s global leader, or “caliph,” due to his prominent role in the group’s command structure.
A security official informed the Associated Press that the operation was conducted through an airstrike in Iraq’s western Anbar province. Another official confirmed that the strike occurred on Thursday night. The announcement came on Friday, coinciding with the visit of Syria’s Foreign Minister Assas Al-Shaybani to Iraq, as both nations collaborated in the fight against the Islamic State.
The announcement coincided with Syria’s interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani’s visit to Iraq, where he expressed readiness to enhance cooperation in combating ISIS remnants. “Security is a shared responsibility,” al-Shaibani said during a joint press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. He further said, “We are ready to reinforce cooperation with Iraq in the fight against Daesh along the whole length of the border. Terrorism knows no borders.”
Al-Shaibani also highlighted the importance of reopening the Iraq-Syria border to boost trade and strengthen bilateral ties. The border was closed in December following security concerns after the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose government had maintained close relations with Baghdad.
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