Baghdad, March 15, 2025 – The head of the Islamic State in Iraq, Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadija, was killed in a successful operation by the Iraqi national intelligence service and US-led coalition forces, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced on Friday.
“The Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism,” al-Sudani said in a statement on X. He described al-Rifai as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world” and confirmed that he was the group’s deputy caliph.
US President Donald Trump praised the operation on his Truth Social platform, saying, “Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters” in coordination with the Iraqi and Kurdish regional governments. “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!” Trump added.
A security official said the operation involved an airstrike in Anbar province, in western Iraq. The strike reportedly happened on Thursday night, but al-Rifai’s death was confirmed on Friday.
Diplomatic Moves Against ISIS
The operation coincided with the visit of Syria’s top diplomat to Iraq, where both countries pledged to strengthen cooperation against ISIS. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said Syria and Iraq face “common challenges” from ISIS and discussed the group’s movements on the Syrian-Iraqi border.
Hussein also referenced a new operations room involving Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon aimed at confronting ISIS, which is set to begin work soon. Syrian interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani emphasized the historic ties between Baghdad and Damascus and called for regional unity to strengthen security and independence.
Concerns Over IS Resurgence
Iraqi officials remain concerned about an ISIS resurgence following the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad in December. Although Syria’s new rulers have been targeting ISIS cells, some fear that instability in Syria could allow the group to regain strength.
The US and Iraq previously agreed to wind down the American-led military coalition in Iraq by September 2025. However, the fall of Assad has prompted some Iraqi leaders to reconsider their reliance on US support against ISIS.
