ISIS leader Abu Khadija killed in Anbar province, confirms Iraqi PM

Iraqi forces, working with US-led coalition forces, have killed Abu Khadija, the ISIS leader in Iraq and Syria, in an intelligence-led operation in Anbar province

The Iraqi Prime Minister has confirmed that the head of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria has been killed in an intelligence-led operation conducted by Iraqi forces in coordination with the US-led coalition, ANI reports.

According to a statement posted on X by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, working alongside coalition forces commanded by the United States, successfully targeted and eliminated Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, also known as "Abu Khadija." Al-Rifai was described as the "deputy caliph" of ISIS and "one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world," as per ANI reports.

"The Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism," al-Sudani said in the statement, praising the intelligence service for the successful operation.

The Iraqis continue their remarkable victories against the forces of darkness and terrorism. The heroes of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, with support and coordination from the Joint Operations Command and the International Coalition forces, successfully eliminated the…

— محمد شياع السوداني (@mohamedshia) March 14, 2025

On Friday night, former US President Donald Trump also commented on the development through his Truth Social platform, stating, "Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters" in close coordination with the Iraqi and Kurdish regional governments. He added, "PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!"

As per ANI reports citing CNN, a security official revealed that the operation was carried out through an airstrike in Iraq’s western Anbar province. Another official confirmed that al-Rifai’s death was verified on Friday, though the operation itself took place on Thursday night. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to comment publicly.

The announcement came on the same day as a visit by Syria’s top diplomat to Iraq. During a joint press conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein stated that Iraq and Syria had pledged to strengthen cooperation to counter ISIS. He said both nations were facing "common challenges" related to ISIS and had discussed the group’s movements along the Iraq-Syria border and within both countries.

Hussein also referred to a new joint operations centre established by Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon at a recent meeting in Amman to tackle the ISIS threat. He confirmed that the operations room would soon become operational.

Relations between Iraq and Syria remain complex following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Al-Sudani, who came to power in late 2022 with the support of a coalition of Iran-backed factions, has maintained a delicate balance between Iraq's ties with Tehran and Washington.

Meanwhile, the US and Iraq announced last year that they had reached an agreement to phase out the American-led coalition’s military mission in Iraq by September 2025. Under this deal, US forces are expected to withdraw from several bases, ending a two-decade-long military presence in the country. Iraqi political officials have maintained that the threat posed by ISIS is under control and that the country no longer requires US military support to combat the group’s remaining cells.

(With inputs from ANI) 

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