ISIS Deputy Leader Abu Khadijah Killed in U.S.-Iraq Airstrike

The joint operation in Iraq's Anbar Province eliminated the terror group's second-in-command, a key figure in global logistics and operations.

Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, was killed in a precision airstrike conducted by U.S. Central Command and Iraqi security forces on March 13.
Abu Khadijah was ISIS's chief of global operations and second-in-command, overseeing logistics, planning, and financing for the group's global activities.
DNA evidence from a prior raid confirmed his identity after the strike, where both him and a second ISIS operative were found dead with unexploded suicide vests and multiple weapons.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani described him as one of the most dangerous terrorists in the world, crediting the operation as a significant security achievement.
The operation coincided with high-level talks between Iraq and Syria on countering ISIS, as fears of a resurgence grow following the collapse of Syria's Assad regime.