U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that four ISIS leaders were killed in a joint U.S.-Iraqi military operation in western Iraq last month. statement on friday.
The joint raid, carried out on August 29, killed 14 ISIS operatives, including four ISIS leaders: Ahmad Hamid Hussain Abd al-Jalil al-Issawi, Abu Hamam, Abu Ali al-Tunisi, and Shakir Abd Ahmad al-Issawi.
Seven U.S. soldiers were injured in the operation: five in the attack and two in a fall during the operation.
“This operation targeted ISIS leadership and helped disrupt and degrade ISIS's ability to plan, organize and carry out attacks against Iraqi civilians, U.S. citizens, allies and partners in the region and beyond,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the threat from terrorist groups such as the Islamic State has increased. ISIS has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks around the world, including in Iran, Turkey and Russia. ISIS members claimed responsibility for a stabbing attack in Germany last month and threatened to kill thousands at a Taylor Swift concert.
In a 2022 raid, U.S. forces killed then-ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi. The terror group was previously led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in 2019.
“U.S. Central Command remains committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS, which continues to threaten the United States, our allies and partners, and regional stability,” Gen. Michael Eric Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, said in a statement.
