The leader of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria has been killed in a joint operation conducted by members of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service along with US forces.
Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifa , also known as Abu Khadija, was considered by the Iraqi prime minister to be one of the most dangerous terrorists in the country and in the world.
Details of the operation in Iraq were described by US Central Command, which said in X that it had carried out "a precision airstrike" in Al Anbar province.
CENTCOM Forces Kill ISIS Chief of Global Operations Who Also Served as ISIS #2
— US Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025
On March 13, US Central Command forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader,… pic.twitter.com/rWeEoUY7Lw
The death of the ISIS leader was confirmed using DNA tests.
US President Donald Trump also reacted to his killing in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
"His miserable life was ended, along with another member of the Islamic State, in coordination with the Iraqi government and the Kurdish regional government. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!" he wrote.
The airstrike coincided with the first visit by Syria's top diplomat to Iraq, during which the two countries pledged to work together to fight the Islamic State.
The operation comes at a time when Iraqi officials are concerned about a resurgence of the Islamic State following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.