ISIS Leader Killed: Major Blow to Islamic State Operations
In a significant development, Iraqi security forces have successfully eliminated a high-ranking leader of the Islamic State (IS) group, who was primarily responsible for orchestrating foreign operations. This announcement was made by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who announced the news via social media. Following this, US President Donald Trump expressed his approval, noting that the leader’s “miserable life was terminated,” signaling a critical blow to the organization’s command structure.
The targeted individual, Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rufayi, was labeled as one of the most dangerous terrorists worldwide. Prime Minister al-Sudani confirmed that al-Rufayi held the position of IS’s so-called governor for both Syria and Iraq. Moreover, he was identified as being in charge of the group’s foreign operations. While the exact timing of al-Rufayi’s death was not disclosed, the Prime Minister praised the operation, which was executed by Iraqi intelligence in collaboration with the US-led coalition against jihadism.
President Trump underlined the efficiency of US and Iraqi military efforts by stating, “Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed.” He credited the operation to the relentless pursuits of American forces alongside the Iraqi and Kurdish governments, culminating in the death of another ISIS member. In a related announcement, the US Central Command released a video of the strike, highlighting that two members, both wearing unexploded suicide vests, were identified through DNA analysis.
Lingering Presence of ISIS
Despite Iraq’s declaration of victory over IS in 2017, the remnants of the group continue to pose a threat. In a prior operation, Iraqi forces took down nine IS commanders, including Jassim al-Mazrouei, the self-styled governor of Iraq for IS. This operation was confirmed by Iraq’s Joint Operations Command last October. Since declaring a caliphate in 2014, IS has been associated with numerous atrocities, leading to its eventual defeat by Iraqi forces, aided by international coalitions, by late 2017.
Nevertheless, IS has retained a foothold, particularly within Syria’s expansive desert regions. The organization remains capable of executing sporadic attacks, especially in rural areas of Iraq. Currently, around 2,500 American troops are stationed in Iraq, where local security forces assert their readiness to tackle the ongoing insurgency. Recently, the US and Iraq outlined plans to conclude their decade-long military operations in federal Iraq within the next year, extending until September 2026 in the autonomous Kurdistan region.
