ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US army announced on Saturday that four suspected Islamic State (ISIS) leaders were killed in a recent joint raid with the Iraqi security forces in western Iraq, including one responsible for the group’s all operations in the country.
The joint raid took place in Anbar province on August 29. US and Iraqi armies have provided conflicting numbers about ISIS death toll, with the US Central Command (CENTCOM) initially putting the number at 15 and now it says 14 were killed. Iraq initially said 14 were killed but later said the number had increased to 16.
The US army said that four of them were ISIS leaders responsible for the group's operations and technical development in Iraq.
“As part of the on-going post-raid assessment, CENTCOM can confirm that four ISIS leaders were killed including: Ahmad Hamid Husayn Abd-al-Jalil al-Ithawi, responsible for all operations in Iraq, Abu Hammam, responsible for overseeing all operations in Western Iraq, Abu-‘Ali al-Tunisi, responsible for overseeing technical development, and Shakir Abud Ahmad al-Issawi, responsible for overseeing military operations in Western Iraq,” said CENTCOM in a statement.
“This operation targeted ISIS leaders and served to disrupt and degrade ISIS’ ability to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against Iraqi civilians, as well as U.S. citizens, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond,” it added.
The operation was centered around Anbar province’s Wadi al-Ghadaf, described by the Iraqi military as an “important den” for ISIS remnants in the country.
Seven US personnel were injured in the operation.
ISIS rose to power and seized control of large swathes of Iraqi territory during a brazen offensive in 2014. It was declared territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, when its so-called caliphate fell to Iraqi and Kurdish fighters, supported by the US-led international coalition.
Despite its territorial defeat, the group continues to carry out hit-and-run attacks, bombings, and abductions in several provinces, particularly in areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, which stretch across the provinces of Salahaddin, Diyala, Kirkuk, and Nineveh.
“CENTCOM remains committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS, who continues to threaten the United States, our allies and partners, and regional stability," CENTCOM cited its commander General Michael Erik Kurilla as saying in the Saturday statement.
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