BAGHDAD: Iraqi security forces have killed nine senior commanders of the Islamic State (IS) group, including the group’s top leader in the country, in a raid on militant hideouts in the northern Hamrin Mountains, Iraqi authorities said on Tuesday.
Iraq’s Joint Operations Command confirmed that counterterrorism forces had eliminated Jassim al-Mazrouei Abu Abdel Qader, the so-called “governor of Iraq” for IS, who had taken over leadership of the group in Iraq less than a year ago. “Nine terrorists, including the so-called governor of Iraq for IS, were killed in the operation,” said the statement.
The operation, conducted with intelligence and technical support from the US-led anti-IS coalition, also resulted in the seizure of a large cache of weapons, according to the military. While the operation is ongoing, Iraqi officials hailed the success as a major blow to IS’s remaining network in the country.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani praised the security forces for the successful operation, vowing to continue hunting down IS militants. “We will pursue and eliminate terrorists wherever they are in Iraq,” Sudani said.
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This marks another significant victory in Iraq’s battle against IS, which at its peak controlled large parts of Iraq and Syria. The group was defeated in Iraq in 2017 with the help of the US-led coalition, and in 2019, it lost its last stronghold in Syria. However, remnants of IS fighters continue to operate in rural parts of both countries, launching attacks on security forces and civilians.
The raid follows several recent operations targeting IS leaders in the country. Earlier this month, Iraqi forces, supported by US airstrikes, killed a senior IS commander and three other militants. In August, a joint operation involving US and Iraqi forces led to the deaths of 15 IS fighters in Iraq’s western desert.
A July report by United Nations experts estimated that between 1,500 and 3,000 IS fighters remain active across Iraq and Syria.
The United States, which maintains around 2,500 troops in Iraq as part of the coalition, announced last month that its military mission in Iraq will conclude within a year.
