A high-ranking Islamic State (IS) leader, Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifa, also known as Abu Khadija, has been killed in a targeted operation conducted by Iraq’s national intelligence service and US-led coalition forces. The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, confirmed the operation, describing Abu Khadija as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world.”
The US Central Command (Centcom) released a statement detailing the mission, which took place in Iraq’s western Al Anbar province. According to Centcom, Abu Khadija was the head of IS’s most senior decision-making body and played a crucial role in overseeing the group’s global operations, logistics, and finances. The strike also resulted in the death of another IS operative.
President Donald Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, praised the operation, stating that Abu Khadija’s “miserable life was terminated” in coordination with the Iraqi government and the Kurdish Regional Government. He added, “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!”
Centcom revealed that both terrorists were found wearing unexploded suicide vests and were heavily armed. Identification was confirmed through DNA analysis, which matched samples collected from a previous raid where Abu Khadija had narrowly escaped.
General Michael Erik Kurilla emphasized the significance of the operation, stating, “Abu Khadijah was one of the most important IS members in the entire global IS organization. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and US, allied, and partner personnel in the region and beyond.”
Although IS lost control of its vast territories spanning northern Iraq and northeastern Syria in 2017 and 2019, the group continues to operate through sleeper cells, carrying out sporadic attacks against Iraqi security forces. The death of Abu Khadija is expected to deal a significant blow to IS’s leadership and its ability to coordinate global operations.
This latest strike underscores ongoing efforts by Iraqi and US-led forces to prevent the resurgence of IS and eliminate key figures within the group’s hierarchy.
