US and Iraqi forces kill senior ISIS leader
In Al Anbar airstrike
A precision airstrike conducted by US Central Command (Centcom) forces, in cooperation with Iraqi intelligence and security forces, has resulted in the death of Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as “Abu Khadijah.”
The airstrike, which took place in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, also killed one other ISIS operative. Abu Khadijah, the Global ISIS #2 leader, served as the chief of operations and the delegated committee emir, holding responsibility for planning and executing ISIS operations worldwide.
As the head of the terrorist group’s senior decision-making body, Abu Khadijah controlled logistics, operations, and a significant portion of ISIS’s financial activities, a Centcom statement noted.
Centcom forces and Iraqi units discovered both operatives at the airstrike site, each wearing unexploded suicide vests and carrying multiple weapons. The identity of Abu Khadijah was confirmed through DNA analysis, following a previous raid in which he had narrowly escaped.
General Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of US Central Command, commented on the operation, stating: “Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organisation. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organisations that threaten our homeland and the US, allied, and partner personnel in the region and beyond.”
The airstrike was part of Centcom’s ongoing mission to target key ISIS figures and dismantle the terrorist group’s infrastructure in the Middle East region. The death of Abu Khadijah follows a series of successful operations against ISIS and other terrorist organisations in recent months.
On March 6, 2025, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by Centcom, captured Salah Mohammad Al-Abdullah, an ISIS cell leader, during a raid in Shahil, Syria. The operation also led to the seizure of several weapons, including a .50 calibre sniper rifle and hand grenades, as part of the broader effort to combat ISIS’s resurgence.
In another operation, on February 23, 2025, Centcom forces carried out a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, targeting and killing Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, the senior military leader of the Al-Qaeda affiliate Hurras al-Din (HaD).
General Kurilla reiterated Centcom’s commitment to counterterrorism operations, stating: “As we have said in the past, we will continue to relentlessly pursue these terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and US, allied, and partner personnel in the region.”
Image: A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle conducts combat patrols over the US Centcom area of responsibility to help defend US interests, promote regional security, and deter regional aggression. Credit: USAF
