Precision strike: US missile eliminates ISIS global operations chief Abu Khadijah

In a decisive blow to the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS), a US-led airstrike has eliminated Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, in Iraq’s Al Anbar province.

The operation, conducted in coordination with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, targeted the militant leader on March 13, marking a significant victory against the terror group.

Abu Khadijah, ISIS’s chief of Global Operations and second-in-command, oversaw the group's logistical, financial, and strategic planning worldwide. Another ISIS operative was also killed in the precision strike.

Following the attack, US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Iraqi forces secured the site, confirming Abu Khadijah’s death. Military officials reported that both militants were armed and wearing unexploded suicide vests. His identity was later verified through DNA analysis from a previous raid where he had narrowly evaded capture.

“Abu Khadijah was one of the most important members of the entire global ISIS network. We will continue to eliminate terrorists and dismantle organizations that threaten the US, our allies, and regional stability,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of US Central Command.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani praised the operation, calling Abu Khadijah “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world.” He confirmed that the mission was carried out with support from the US-led coalition.

The US had sanctioned Abu Khadijah in 2023, labeling him the so-called governor of ISIS-controlled territories in Iraq and Syria. Despite the group’s territorial defeat in Iraq in 2017, ISIS fighters remain active, carrying out sporadic attacks.

Former US President Donald Trump also reacted to the strike, posting on Truth Social:

“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.

While ISIS has been largely dismantled since 2017 in Iraq and 2019 in Syria, its sleeper cells continue to pose a threat, particularly in remote regions. Approximately 2,500 US troops remain stationed in Iraq, assisting in counterterrorism operations and training local forces.