ISIS Second-in-Command Killed in U.S.-Iraq Airstrike

Abu Khadijah, a key ISIS leader responsible for global operations and financing, was killed in a precision strike in Iraq's Al Anbar Province.

The U.S. Central Command, in coordination with Iraqi intelligence and security forces, conducted a precision airstrike on March 13, killing Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, and another ISIS operative.
Abu Khadijah was the chief of global operations for ISIS and served as the group's second-in-command, overseeing logistics, planning, and a significant portion of its global financing.
The operation took place in Iraq's Al Anbar Province, with DNA from a previous raid used to confirm the identity of the deceased leader.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and U.S. officials hailed the operation as a significant blow to ISIS, which continues to pose a threat despite losing territorial control.
Both Abu Khadijah and the second ISIS operative were found wearing unexploded suicide vests and carrying multiple weapons at the strike site.