Sat Mar 15 04:24:01 UTC 2025: ## Top ISIS Leader Killed in Iraq in Joint US-Iraqi Operation
**Baghdad, Iraq –** The deputy leader of the Islamic State (ISIS), Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, also known as “Abu Khadija,” was killed in Iraq on March 13th in a joint operation by Iraqi national intelligence and US-led coalition forces, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced Friday. Al-Rifai, described as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world,” was reportedly killed in an airstrike in Anbar province.
US Central Command confirmed the operation, stating that the airstrike eliminated the ISIS Global #2 leader. President Donald Trump lauded the operation on Truth Social, crediting US warfighters and Iraqi forces for the success.
The announcement coincided with the first visit by Syria’s top diplomat to Iraq, where both countries pledged cooperation in combating ISIS. The two nations acknowledged shared challenges posed by the group and highlighted the imminent activation of a joint operations room involving Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon to counter the threat.
The visit comes amidst concerns of a potential ISIS resurgence following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. While Syria’s new Islamist rulers have targeted ISIS cells, fears remain about a broader security breakdown. This concern is heightened despite a previous agreement between the US and Iraq to wind down the US-led coalition’s military mission in Iraq by September 2025. The agreement, reached when Iraqi officials believed the ISIS threat was contained, has been reassessed in light of recent events.
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