’Dangerous terrorist’ and ISIS leader Abdullah Maki Musleh al-Rifai killed

The leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Abdullah Maki Musleh al-Rifai, considered one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world, has been killed, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed on Friday.

Iraqi security forces, together with U.S.-led coalition fighting the militant group, killed Abdullah Maki Musleh al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadija, Sudani added, reported Reuters.

"We congratulate Iraq, Iraqis, and all peace-loving peoples on this important security achievement," Iraqi media quoted Sudani as saying. The Iraq PM also referred to Abu Khadija as "one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world."

ISIS has suffered multiple leadership losses in recent years, including the death of its former leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in 2019.

Who was Abu Khadija

Abu Khadija, who held the title of ‘Deputy Caliph’ and served as the emir of Bilad al-Rafidayn (ISIS’s Iraq division), was considered one of the most senior figures in the organisation, as per reports.

The ‘dangerous terrorist’ was born in 1991 in Balad District, Salah ad Din Province, Iraq.

Reportedly, following ISIS former leader Baghdadi's death in 2019, the ISIS has struggled to maintain a stable leadership structure, with several successors being eliminated in rapid succession.

According to news agency Reuters, the Islamic State imposed a hardline Islamist rule over millions of people in Syria and Iraq for years. Despite losing its territorial control, the group has been attempting to stage a comeback in the Middle East, the West, and Asia.

Other ISIS leaders who have been killed before

In 2019, al-Baghdadi, known as one of the most ruthless ISIS leaders, was killed in a US raid in Syria. His death dealt a significant blow to the militant group, which has since lost control of all the areas it once held. Some of its cells, however, continue to carry out attacks, reported The Guardian.