US President Donald Trump
Video: Trump announces decisive US strike eliminating Daesh deputy leader in Iraq
A second-in-command leader of Daesh has been killed in a precision airstrike carried out by US forces in coordination with Iraqi intelligence and security forces, officials confirmed on Friday.
The operation, which targeted western Iraq’s Al Anbar Province, resulted in the death of Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as 'Abu Khadija,' along with another Daesh operative.
US President Donald Trump reacted to the news on Truth Social, 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 US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed that al-Rifai was Daesh's second-in-command and the group’s chief of global operations. It confirmed that he was killed in an airstrike in Al Anbar Province in coordination with Iraqi intelligence and security forces.
CENTCOM also detailed the operation in a statement on X, saying: "A precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province killed the global ISIS #2 leader, Chief of Global Operations, and the Delegated Committee Emir – Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, alias 'Abu Khadija,' along with one other ISIS operative."
CENTCOM Forces Kill ISIS Chief of Global Operations Who Also Served as ISIS #2
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025
On March 13, U.S. 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
Following the attack, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani described al-Rifai as "one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world." He commended Iraqi forces, stating: "The Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism."
CENTCOM reported that after the airstrike, US and Iraqi forces secured the site and found the two bodies, both wearing unexploded suicide vests and carrying multiple weapons. Abu Khadija’s death was later confirmed through DNA analysis.
The strike coincided with a high-profile visit by Syria’s top diplomat to Iraq, where both nations reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating Daesh.
This successful operation marks a significant blow to the group's regional leadership and operations.
