Sat Mar 15 07:40:19 UTC 2025: ## Top ISIS Leader Killed in US Airstrike in Iraq

**BAGHDAD, IRAQ –** In a joint operation, US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces eliminated Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, the second-in-command and chief of global operations for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group. The precision airstrike took place on March 13th in Iraq’s Al Anbar Province. A second ISIS operative was also killed.

Abu Khadijah, who was confirmed dead through DNA analysis, oversaw ISIS’s global logistics, planning, and finances. CENTCOM reported that both men were found wearing unexploded suicide vests and armed with multiple weapons. The operation follows a 2023 US sanction that identified Abu Khadijah as the governor of ISIS-held territories in Iraq and Syria and a key figure in directing foreign operations.

Both US and Iraqi officials hailed the operation as a significant blow to ISIS. US CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla stated the US will continue targeting terrorists threatening the homeland and allies. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani praised the collaborative effort and described Abu Khadijah as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists. US President Donald Trump also celebrated the killing on Truth Social.

Despite ISIS’s territorial defeat in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, remnants of the group continue sporadic attacks. Approximately 2,500 US troops remain in Iraq to support counterterrorism efforts and train Iraqi forces.

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