Anbar raid

Iraqi forces eliminate nine ISIS militants, including seven suicide bombers

BAGHDAD – Iraqi security forces killed nine ISIS militants, including seven suicide bombers, during an operation north of Rutba in Anbar governorate, according to a statement from the Joint Operations Command.

The raid, led by Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service, involved an airborne assault followed by intense clashes in the Ka’ra desert. “The forces successfully eliminated nine ISIS militants, including seven suicide bombers, and destroyed their weapons, ammunition, and logistical equipment,” the statement confirmed.

Supported by air and technical assistance from the U.S.-led international coalition, the mission is still ongoing as forces continue to search the area for further threats.

Earlier, the U.S. Central Command announced that on October 22, Iraqi forces, with support from the Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, carried out multiple airstrikes targeting ISIS leaders in central Iraq, killing at least seven militants.

During that mission, two U.S. soldiers were injured while assisting Iraqi forces in reconnaissance efforts. “Both soldiers are in stable condition,” U.S. Central Command reported.

The Joint Task Force provided “technical and intelligence support, enabling the successful disruption of ISIS’s operational networks in Iraq.”

General Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, reaffirmed the coalition’s commitment: “U.S. Central Command, alongside our coalition and Iraqi partners, continues to pursue ISIS and other terrorist groups that threaten U.S. forces, our allies, and regional security.”

On October 22, 2024, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced the killing of the ISIS leader in Iraq, along with eight senior members, during a targeted operation. The mission, led by Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service and National Security Service under the supervision of the Joint Operations Command, targeted ISIS hideouts in the Hamrin Mountains, which span the Diyala, Salah al-Din, and Kirkuk governorates. The Joint Operations Command detailed months of intelligence gathering and planning leading to the early-morning raid on Oct. 22. The mission resulted in the deaths of nine ISIS members, including Jassim Al-Mazrouei, also known as Abu Abdul Qadir, identified as the group’s “Wali of Iraq.” “DNA tests are being carried out to confirm the identities of other key leaders,” the statement said. Large stockpiles of weapons, explosives, and equipment were also found and destroyed in eight ISIS hideouts.

Although Iraq declared ISIS defeated in 2017, remnants of the group continue to launch attacks. In 2024 alone, Iraqi authorities have reported killing more than 100 ISIS militants, including several senior leaders, as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations.