The ISIS leader has been described as ‘one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world’
US President Donald Trump has released a statement after the leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria was killed.
On Friday, March 14, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced the death of Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, a high-ranking ISIS leader, in a joint operation carried out by U.S. forces and Iraqi intelligence.
Describing al-Rifai as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world,” al-Sudani hailed the operation as another significant victory against terrorism, declaring, “The Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump also reacted to the news, taking to his Truth Social platform to commend the mission: “Today, 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!”
In the aftermath of al-Rifai’s death, U.S. Central Command confirmed that, in coordination with Iraqi intelligence, they had conducted an airstrike in Al Anbar Province. In an official statement, they announced the elimination of the “Global ISIS #2 leader, Chief of Global Operations, and the Delegated Committee Emir – Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as ‘Abu Khadijah,’ along with another ISIS operative.”
This decisive strike marks another blow to ISIS’s leadership, underscoring the continued efforts to dismantle the terrorist network.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) provided further details on the operation, revealing that Abu Khadijah, as the Emir of ISIS’ most senior decision-making body, was responsible for overseeing the group’s global operations, logistics, and strategic planning. He also played a key role in financing ISIS’ worldwide activities.
Following the airstrike, CENTCOM and Iraqi forces moved in to secure the site, where they found Abu Khadijah and another ISIS operative dead. Both were wearing unexploded suicide vests and were in possession of multiple weapons.
“After the strike, CENTCOM and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and found both dead ISIS terrorists,” the statement read. “Both terrorists were wearing unexploded ‘suicide vests’ and had multiple weapons. CENTCOM and Iraqi forces were able to identify Abu Khadijah through a DNA match from a previous raid, where he had narrowly escaped.”
This successful operation delivers yet another blow to ISIS’ leadership, reaffirming the ongoing commitment of U.S. and Iraqi forces to dismantling the terrorist network.
General Michael Erik Kurilla underscored the significance of the operation, describing Abu Khadijah as “one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization.” He reaffirmed the U.S. military’s commitment to eliminating terrorist threats, stating, “We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region and beyond.”
It is believed that CENTCOM and Iraqi forces were able to confirm Abu Khadijah’s identity through a DNA match from samples collected during a previous raid, where he had narrowly escaped.
