‘Dangerous’ Daesh leader Abu Khadija killed: Iraq

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said on Friday that Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rufay’i, also known as Abu Khadija, was killed by Iraqi security forces, with the support of the US-led coalition fighting Daesh (ISIS or ISIL).

“The Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism,” Sudani wrote in a statement on X, adding that Abu Khadija was “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world.”

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over ISIL by reclaiming all territories the armed group controlled since the summer of 2014, which was estimated to be about a third of the country’s territory.

But the group still maintains sleeper cells in large areas in Iraq and occasionally launches attacks.

Friday’s announcement coincided with Syria’s interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani visiting Iraq, where he said his government was ready to “reinforce cooperation” in the fight against remnants of ISIL.

“Security is a shared responsibility,” al-Shaibani told a news conference alongside Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Baghdad.

“We are ready to reinforce cooperation with Iraq in the fight against Daesh along the whole length of the border. Terrorism knows no borders,” he added

He also stated one aim of Friday’s visit was to enhance trade between the two countries, and reopening the border would be a fundamental step in doing so.

Iraq shut the frontier on security grounds following the lightning opposition offensive that toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Relations between the neighbours have been complex since the removal of al-Assad, who was a close ally of the government in Baghdad.

While Iraq is a strategic partner of the United States, it is also a key ally of Iran. Some Iraqi armed groups fought to defend al-Assad’s rule during Syria’s 13-year war that began with the security forces’ crackdown on democracy protests in 2011.

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has sought to present a moderate image since coming to power, once fought with al-Qaeda in Iraq against US forces and their allies.