BAGHDAD — The pinnacle of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been killed in Iraq in an operation through individuals of the Iraqi nationwide intelligence provider along side U.S.-led coalition forces, the Iraqi high minister introduced Friday.“The Iraqis proceed their spectacular victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism,” High Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stated in a remark posted on X, previously referred to as Twitter.Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, or “Abu Khadija,” was once “deputy caliph” of the militant crew and as “one of the vital unhealthy terrorists in Iraq and the sector,” the remark stated.A safety respectable stated the operation was once performed through an airstrike in Anbar province in western Iraq. A 2nd respectable stated the operation happened Thursday night time however that al-Rifai’s dying was once showed Friday. They spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to remark publicly.The announcement got here at the identical day as the primary discuss with through Syria’s best diplomat to Iraq, throughout which the 2 international locations pledged to paintings in combination to struggle IS.Iraqi Overseas Minister Fouad Hussein stated at a information convention that “there are commonplace demanding situations dealing with Syrian and Iraqi society, and particularly the terrorists of IS.” He stated the officers had spoken “intimately concerning the actions of ISIS, whether or not at the Syrian-Iraqi border, within Syria or within Iraq” throughout the discuss with.Hussein referred to an operations room shaped through Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon at a contemporary assembly in Amman to confront IS, and stated it might quickly start paintings.The connection between Iraq and Syria is rather fraught after the autumn of former Syrian President Bashar Assad. Al-Sudani got here to energy with the reinforce of a coalition of Iran-backed factions, and Tehran was once a significant backer of Assad. The present meantime president of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa, was once prior to now referred to as Abu Mohammed al-Golani and fought as an al-Qaida militant in Iraq after the U.S. invasion of 2003, and later fought towards Assad’s govt in Syria.However Syrian meantime Overseas Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani centered at the historical ties between the 2 international locations.“Right through historical past, Baghdad and Damascus were the capitals of the Arab and Islamic international, sharing wisdom, tradition and financial system,” he stated.Strengthening the partnership between the 2 international locations “won’t best get advantages our peoples, however may even give a contribution to the steadiness of the area, making us much less depending on exterior powers and higher ready to resolve our personal future,” he stated.The operation and the discuss with come at a time when Iraqi officers are worried about an IS resurgence within the wake of the autumn of Assad in Syria.Whilst Syria’s new rulers — led through the Islamist former rebel crew Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — have pursued IS cells since taking energy, some concern a breakdown in total safety that might permit the gang to degree a resurgence.The U.S. and Iraq introduced an settlement remaining 12 months to wind down the army venture in Iraq of an American-led coalition combating the Islamic State crew through September 2025, with U.S. forces departing some bases the place they’ve stationed troops throughout a two-decade-long army presence within the nation.When the settlement was once reached to finish the coalition’s venture in Iraq, Iraqi political leaders stated the specter of IS was once underneath regulate they usually not wanted Washington’s lend a hand to overcome again the rest cells.However the fall of Assad in December led some to re-evaluate that stance, together with individuals of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of principally Shiite, Iran-allied political events that introduced present Iraqi High Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani to energy in overdue 2022.Related Press body of workers creator Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this document.
