International
Top Islamic State Leader K!lled in Joint US-Iraqi Operation

- Senior IS leader Abu Khadijah k!lled in joint Iraq-US operation.
- US airstrike in Al Anbar province targeted key Islamic State figure.
- DNA match confirmed identity of high-ranking IS operative.
A senior leader of the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria has been k!lled in a joint operation by Iraq’s national intelligence service and US-led coalition forces, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced.
Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, was described as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world.” The US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed that he was targeted in a precision airstrike in Iraq’s western Al Anbar province on Thursday.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- 7 Fruits You Should Not Eat On Empty Stomach
- Dr. Alausa Champions Innovation and Collaboration in Education
- Ondo Doctor Dies of Lassa Fever After Returning from UK
Rifai was the head of IS’s highest decision-making body, overseeing global operations, logistics, and financing for the group. US President Donald Trump said he was “relentlessly hunted down” and praised the coordination between US forces, the Iraqi government, and the Kurdish Regional Government.
Centcom reported that Rifai was found dead alongside another IS operative, both wearing unexploded suicide vests and carrying multiple weapons. Identification was confirmed through DNA analysis from an earlier raid where he had narrowly escaped.
General Michael Erik Kurilla emphasized that the US will continue targeting terrorist leaders and dismantling networks that pose threats to the US and its allies.
Although Iraq declared victory over IS in 2017 and the group lost its final stronghold in 2019, IS militants and sleeper cells remain active, occasionally launching attacks against Iraqi security forces.
FURTHER READING
- Man Murders Wife, Hides in Ceiling to Evade Arrest
- Yellow Aboki, Close Ally of Late Bandit Kingpin Bamamu, Eliminated in Zamfara
- ‘We Inherited a Mess’ – Ratcliffe Criticizes Man United Players
Watch Our Video Of The Week
Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:
Kindly contact us at ekohotblog@gmail.com. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.
Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.
Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611

