Four ISIS leaders were killed in western Iraq raid last month, US military says
(CNN) — Four ISIS leaders were killed as a result of raid in western Iraq late last month, the US military said Friday.
US Central Command identified the four leaders as Ahmad Hamid Husayn Abd-al-Jalil al-Ithawi, who was responsible for all ISIS operations in Iraq; Abu Hammam, who oversaw all operations in the western part of the country; Abu-‘Ali al-Tunisi, who oversaw technical development, and Shakir Abud Ahmad al-Issawi, who was responsible for military operations in western Iraq.
“CENTCOM remains committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS, who continues to threaten the United States, our allies and partners, and regional stability,” CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in the news release.
The US, in partnership with Iraqi security forces, conducted a raid in western Iraq on August 29, killing more than a dozen ISIS operatives who were “armed with numerous weapons, grenades, and explosive ‘suicide’ belts,” CENTCOM previously said.
Seven US troops were also injured during the raid. CENTCOM said at the time there was no indication of any civilian casualties.
Amid the heightened tensions in the Middle East, Iraq has postponed announcing an end-date for the US-led military coalition’s presence in the country, CNN previously reported.
The US has roughly 2,500 troops currently in Iraq who have been operating there in an “advise and assist” capacity since December 2021, when the US military announced the end of its combat role in the country.
The region is grappling with the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and the July killing of a Hamas political leader in Tehran, which has left the US and Israel bracing for a potential retaliatory attack from Iran.
The US Department of Defense announced last month it would send a carrier strike group, a fighter squadron and additional warships to the Middle East in preparation for a possible retaliation. And US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a guided-missile submarine and accelerated the arrival of the carrier strike group to the region.
CNN’s Philip Wang, Haley Britzky, Mary Kay Mallonee, Hamdi Alkhshali, Sam Fossum and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
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