U.S. military forces, in collaboration with Iraqi intelligence and security services, have killed a high-ranking ISIS leader in an airstrike in western Iraq, officials from both countries confirmed.
Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, was a key figure within the terrorist group, holding the title of “deputy caliph” and being recognized as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world,” according to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
On Friday night, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the operation’s success on social media, stating, “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 U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that Abu Khadijah, described as “Global ISIS #2 leader, Chief of Global Operations and the Delegated Committee Emir,” was eliminated in a precision strike on Thursday in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. Another ISIS operative was also killed in the attack.
At the strike site, U.S. and Iraqi forces discovered the bodies of both terrorists, who were found wearing unexploded suicide vests and armed with multiple weapons. CENTCOM identified Abu Khadijah through a DNA match obtained from an earlier raid in which he had narrowly escaped.
As a senior leader overseeing ISIS operations in Iraq and Syria, Abu Khadijah was responsible for the group’s operations, logistics, and planning on a global scale. He also played a key role in financing ISIS’s worldwide activities.
Iraqi Prime Minister al-Sudani praised the mission’s success, stating that “the Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism.”
Although ISIS suffered significant territorial losses nearly six years ago following a U.S.-led coalition offensive, the group continues to operate as a terrorist network. It has conducted attacks across multiple countries and remains active in Europe, Africa, and Asia, where it continues to inspire and support extremist cells.
