Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Andrew Harnik
Topics: World News, Donald Trump, US News
Lucy Devine
Topics: World News, Donald Trump, US News
US President Donald Trump has released a statement after the leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria was killed.
On Friday (March 14) Iraq's prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced that Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai was killed in an operation by both US forces and members of the Iraqi intelligence service.
Described as 'one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world', al-Sudani said: "The Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism."
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President Trump has also issued a statement over the news, writing on his Truth Social platform: "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!"
Following al-Rifai's death, US Central Command said that along with Iraqi intelligence, they conducted an airstrike in Al Anbar Province.
In a statement, the US Central Command said they had killed the 'Global ISIS #2 leader, Chief of Global Operations and the Delegated Committee Emir – Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, alias "Abu Khadijah," and one other ISIS operative.'
“As the Emir of ISIS’ most senior decision-making body, Abu Khadijah maintained responsibility for operations, logistics, and planning conducted by ISIS globally, and directs a significant portion of finance for the group’s global organization,” they added.
The leader was found dead alongside another operative and both were said to be wearing unexploded 'suicide vests' and had a number of weapons.
"After the strike, CENTCOM and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and found both dead ISIS terrorists. Both terrorists were wearing unexploded 'suicide vests' and had multiple weapons. CENTCOM and Iraqi forces were able to identify Abu Khadijah through a DNA match from DNA collected on a previous raid where Abu Khadijah narrowly escaped," CENTCOM added.
Describing the leader as one of 'the most important ISIS members', Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said: “Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond."
It is believed that CENTCOM and the Iraqi forces were able to identify the ISIS leader via a DNA match from DNA found at a previous raid, in which he escaped.