Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani of Iraq announced on Tuesday that the leader of the Islamic State militant group in Iraq, Jassim al-Mazroui Abu Abdul Qader, was killed in a military operation. The operation, conducted by U.S. and Iraqi forces, also resulted in the deaths of eight senior leaders of the group. The raid took place in the Hamrin Mountains in Salahuddin province.
Al-Sudani emphasized that there is no place for terrorists in Iraq and that they will be pursued and eliminated. The Joint Operations Command confirmed that the operation was carried out with the support of the international coalition forces, resulting in the seizure of large quantities of weapons, ammunition, and equipment.
During the operation, two American service members were injured and are currently in stable condition. The Pentagon is awaiting final test analysis to confirm the identity of those killed in the raid. The U.S. recently announced an agreement with the Iraqi government to conclude the military mission in Iraq by next year, with U.S. troops gradually departing from bases they have occupied for two decades.
The coalition, comprising over 80 countries and led by the United States, was formed to combat the Islamic State group. While the group lost its territorial control in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, sleeper cells remain active in both countries and beyond. Iraqi officials have expressed confidence in the ability of Iraqi security forces to address these remaining threats and prevent a resurgence of the group.
