Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed Friday that Iraqi security forces, with support from the U.S.-led coalition, killed Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rufay’i, also known as Abu Khadija, a senior leader within the Islamic State (IS).
Al-Sudani announced the news in a social media post, describing the operation as Iraq’s continued “victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism,” He also stated that Abu Khadija was “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world,” emphasizing the continued efforts of Iraqi intelligence services to combat IS remnants.
The Iraqis continue their remarkable victories against the forces of darkness and terrorism. The heroes of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, with support and coordination from the Joint Operations Command and the International Coalition forces, successfully eliminated the…
— محمد شياع السوداني (@mohamedshia) March 14, 2025
Iraqi special forces later confirmed that al-Rufay’i was killed Thursday in an airstrike in Iraq’s Anbar desert. The operation reportedly followed a two-year effort by the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) to track his movements, with intelligence breakthroughs emerging in the past six months.
During this period, Iraqi security forces carried out a series of targeted raids against IS cells, including the codenamed ‘Lions’ Leap’ operation in the Hazimi area of the Anbar desert last August. That operation resulted in the deaths of key IS leaders and the recovery of phones, documents, and other materials that provided critical leads to al-Rufay’i’s whereabouts.
The Kurdistan Regional Security Council reportedly supported the operation by arresting and transferring an individual linked to Abu Khadija. Information obtained from this individual enabled INIS to pinpoint al-Rufay’i’s location.
The U.S.-led coalition under Operation Inherent Resolve provided technical intelligence support and air surveillance, which guided the operation leading up to the fatal strike.
#Iraq: Abu Khadija, the leader of IS in Iraq and #Syria, has been killed in a joint operation between the Iraqi and #UnitedStates militaries. In an announcement of his death, Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani described Abu Khadija as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in… pic.twitter.com/ebvcmPPfjW
— POPULAR FRONT (@PopularFront_) March 14, 2025
This is hardly the first time the U.S. has assisted Iraqi forces in the fight against ISIS. Last October, CENTCOM announced a successful raid targeting an ISIS cell, which resulted in two U.S. service members being injured.
Following the strike, an airdrop operation involving the Counter-Terrorism Service, Anbar Operations Command, and police resulted in the arrest of seven individuals connected to Abu Khadija, including two women who provided supplies and served as links to other IS cells. Additional intelligence efforts led to the arrest of five more suspects in Irbil by the Kurdistan Regional Security Council.
Al-Rufay’i had long held a prominent position within IS. He previously served as the wali (governor) of Iraq’s Diyala Governorate under IS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi before becoming the emir of Bilad al-Rafidayn, overseeing IS operations in Iraq. The U.S. Department of State designated al-Rufay’i as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in June 2023 for his extensive involvement in IS planning and financing.
Iraqi National Intelligence Service eliminated lSlS terrorist Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rufay’i, known as (Abu Khadija).
He was considered one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world. pic.twitter.com/wHrfmwETZ7
— Azat (@AzatAlsalim) March 14, 2025
The announcement of al-Rufay’i’s death coincided with a visit to Baghdad by Syria’s interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. Al-Shaibani expressed his government’s commitment to enhanced cooperation with Iraq in fighting IS remnants.
A July 2024 report from the U.S. Central Command warned of IS’s attempts to regroup, noting that the group claimed responsibility for 153 attacks across Iraq and Syria in the first half of 2024. Intelligence estimates suggest between 1,500 to 3,000 IS fighters remain active in the region, with the majority concentrated in Syria.
While Iraq and Syria have historically been IS’s primary areas of influence, recent intelligence suggests the group is shifting its operational focus. Reports indicate IS leadership may now be centered on Abdul Qadir Mumin, the head of IS-Somalia.
