By Al-Fassel | 2024-10-25

Iraqi forces killed nine "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) commanders, including the group's top figure in the country, during early morning October 22 raids on their hideouts in the northern Hamreen hills, Iraqi authorities said.

The raids were carried out "with technical support" and intelligence provided by the international coalition, Iraq's Joint Operations Command said in a statement.

The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service and detachments from Iraq's National Security Service, under the supervision and planning of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, conducted the strikes and follow-on raids, the US military said.

Counterterrorism forces "killed nine terrorists, among them the so-called governor of Iraq" for ISIS, the Joint Operations Command said, identifying him as Jassim al-Mazrouei Abu Abdel Qader.

"Large quantities of weapons" were seized in the operation, it said.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Iraqi forces "conducted a partner raid in Iraq targeting several senior ISIS leaders" overnight, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in an October 23 statement.

"The raid resulted in the death of multiple ISIS operatives," he said.

"We do have reports of two US service members that were injured," Ryder said, adding that "both of them are in stable condition being treated for their injuries."

CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla pledged to "aggressively pursue ISIS and other terrorists" alongside international coalition and Iraqi partners.

A statement from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office announced "the killing of the so-called 'governor of Iraq' and eight senior leaders of ISIS."

Sudani pledged to "pursue... and eliminate" extremists wherever they may be in Iraq, AFP reported.

Joint raids on ISIS

Iraqi security forces, supported by the US-led international coalition, have carried out numerous raids on suspected ISIS hideouts.

The US military on October 18 announced that "precision air strikes" conducted by Iraqi forces earlier in the month had killed a senior ISIS leader and three other militants.

"The Iraqi-led strikes were conducted to disrupt and degrade ISIS attack networks in Iraq and were enabled by technical support and intelligence from coalition forces," CENTCOM said.

The senior leader killed October 14, Shahadhah Allawi Salih Ulaywi al-Bajjari (aka Abu Issa, the so-called "Wali of Kirkuk"), was assessed to be the most senior ISIS official in northern Iraq.

An initial post-strike assessment found explosive "suicide" belts, numerous weapons, explosives and ammunition, CENTCOM said.

At the end of August, a joint operation by US and Iraqi forces killed 15 ISIS fighters in Iraq's western desert.