Trump confirms death of top ISIS leader in Iraq amid joint military operation

US President Donald Trump confirmed the death of a high-ranking leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq, following reports from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

Trump made the announcement on the social media platform Truth Social, describing the operation as a significant success in the fight against terrorism, Caliber.Az reports.

“Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. 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!” the US president wrote.

According to Prime Minister al-Sudani, the killed Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, or "Abu Khadija," had been leading a prominent ISIS terrorist cell since January 2021 and was considered one of the most dangerous ISIS leaders in Iraq.

He was killed in an operation by members of the Iraqi national intelligence service along with US-led coalition forces, Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement.

US Central Command said in a statement that its forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and security forces, conducted an airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the "Global ISIS No.2 leader, Chief of Global Operations and the Delegated Committee Emir – Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, alias 'Abu Khadijah,' and one other ISIS operative."

"As the Emir of ISIS’ most senior decision-making body, Abu Khadijah maintained responsibility for operations, logistics, and planning conducted by ISIS globally, and directs a significant portion of finance for the group’s global organization," CENTCOM said.

After the strike, US and Iraqi forces moved to the location of the strike and found both dead ISIS targets who were each wearing unexploded "suicide vests" and who had multiple weapons, CENTCOM said.

By Vafa Guliyeva