The head of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq has been killed in a joint operation by Iraqi national intelligence and U.S.-led coalition forces, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced Friday.
Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, also known as “Abu Khadija,” was a senior figure within the militant group and served as its “deputy caliph.” Al-Sudani described him as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world.”
The operation, conducted Thursday night, targeted al-Rifai in Anbar province, western Iraq. Security officials confirmed his death Friday, revealing that he was eliminated in an airstrike.
U.S. President Donald Trump praised the mission, stating on Truth Social, “Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters… PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!”
The news coincided with the visit of Syria’s top diplomat to Iraq, as both nations pledged to strengthen counterterrorism efforts against ISIS. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein emphasized the need for regional cooperation, citing a newly formed operations room involving Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon to combat the militant group.
The operation comes at a time of heightened concerns over ISIS resurgence following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad. While Syria’s new rulers have pursued ISIS cells, some Iraqi officials fear deteriorating security could allow the group to regain strength.
The U.S. and Iraq previously agreed to wind down the coalition’s military mission by September 2025, but recent developments have led some Iraqi leaders to reconsider the threat posed by ISIS.
