US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) claimed responsibility for the elimination of a senior ISIS leader in Iraq, announcing that the operation was carried out in coordination with US and Iraqi forces.
The target, Abdullah Makki Muslih al-Rufayi, also known as Abu Khadija, was killed in an operation led by Iraqi security forces, according to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. Abu Khadija, the head of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, was regarded as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform to declare the success of the mission, stating, “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!”
The White House released a video of the strike, captioned, “President Trump Terminates ISIS Leader in Targeted Strike.”
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that US forces, in partnership with Iraqi security forces, carried out a precision airstrike in Iraq’s Al Anbar province, killing Abu Khadija and another ISIS operative. Both were reportedly wearing unexploded suicide vests when their bodies were recovered.
CENTCOM described Abu Khadija as a key figure in ISIS, responsible for operations, logistics, and global financing. General Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of CENTCOM, emphasized the significance of his death, stating, “Abu Khadija was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization. We will continue to target and dismantle terrorist groups that threaten our homeland, US allies, and regional partners.”
A security official told CNN that the airstrike took place in Anbar province on Thursday night, with Khadija’s death confirmed on Friday.
The announcement coincided with a visit by Syria’s top diplomat to Iraq, where both nations reaffirmed their commitment to combating ISIS. Following the fall of the Assad regime, Syria’s new government has intensified efforts to eliminate ISIS cells.
Abu Khadija had previously been considered a candidate for the role of ISIS’s global leader, or “caliph.” He was sanctioned by the US in 2023 and had served as governor of ISIS’s Syrian and Iraqi provinces.
His death marks a significant blow to ISIS operations in the region, adding to the group’s ongoing leadership turmoil. Despite repeated setbacks, ISIS continues to pose a threat through its networks across the Middle East and beyond.
Meanwhile, the US and Iraq reaffirmed their agreement to gradually scale down the US-led coalition’s military presence in Iraq, with American forces set to withdraw from several bases by September 2025.
