AT least 15 ISIS terrorists reportedly armed with grenades and suicide belts have been killed in a joint attack, US officials have said.
American and Iraqi forces together raided Iraq‘s Anbar Desert in the country’s west, resulting in seven injuries to US troops.
Iraq’s military said that key Islamic State leaders were among the dead, but did not identify them.
In a statement, the force explained that “airstrikes targeted the hideouts, followed by an airborne operation.”
It added: “All hideouts, weapons, and logistical support were destroyed, explosive belts were safely detonated and important documents, identification papers and communication devices were seized.”
The US Central Command said that the terrorists were “armed with numerous weapons, grenades, and explosive ‘suicide’ belts”.
It said: “This operation targeted ISIS leaders to disrupt and degrade ISIS’ ability to plan, organise, and conduct attacks against Iraqi civilians, as well as US citizens, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond.
“Iraqi Security Forces continue to further exploit the locations raided.”
Five US soldiers were wounded and two others were hurt in falls in the operation, a US military official revealed.
One who suffered a fall was transported out of the Mideast, while one of the wounded was evacuated for further treatment.
“All personnel are in stable condition,” they added.
There was no sign of civilian casualties in Thursday’s overnight raid.
Soon after, the foreign ministry of Iraq announced that the “latest developments” had caused a statement regarding the end date of the mission of the US-led coalition to be delayed, without providing specifics.
The US took two days to disclose its involvement in the raid, although the reason for this was not immediately apparent.
When the operation was first announced, Iraq did not state that the US was involved, and leaders are debating whether or not to keep US soldiers in the nation.
Roughly 2,500 US soldiers are stationed there.
The nation has battled to maintain a balance between ties with neighbouring Iran ever since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003 and toppled despot Saddam Hussein.
by Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter
As of mid-2024, the Islamic State (ISIS) continues to be led by a relatively secretive leadership, primarily centred in Iraq and Syria, but with significant influence and operations across various global regions.
The current leader, known as Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, assumed control following the deaths of his predecessors, who were systematically targeted by counter-terrorism operations.
Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi comes from the Quraysh tribe, which is significant as it ties to the Prophet Muhammad’s lineage—a crucial factor for legitimacy within ISIS.
He succeeded Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi, who was killed in 2023.
Despite the pressures in Iraq and Syria, the leadership remains largely in this region, though there are discussions about potential relocations, especially as the organisation seeks more secure and supportive environments.
ISIS has developed a complex global structure, including the General Directorate of Provinces, which oversees regional activities across the Middle East, Africa, and beyond.
Leaders of these regional provinces (or “Wilayat”) report to the central leadership, making ISIS a more integrated but dispersed organisation.
This structure includes notable figures like Abdul Qadir Mumin, the leader of the Somalia Province, who is speculated to have had a significant role within the broader ISIS framework.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, Iraqi militias allied to Iran have targeted American forces there, prompting US airstrikes against them.
At its peak, the Islamic State group ruled an area half the size of the United Kingdom, where it attempted to enforce its extreme interpretation of Islam, which included attacks on religious minority groups and harsh punishment of Muslims deemed to be apostates.
A coalition of more than 80 countries led by the United States was formed to fight the group, which lost its hold on the territory it controlled in Iraq and 2017 and in Syria in 2019.
However, the militants have continued to operate in the Anbar Desert in Iraq and Syria, while claiming attacks carried out by others elsewhere in the world inspired by the group.
That includes the two suspects in a foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift shows in Vienna.
Meanwhile, the ISIS branch in Afghanistan is known to carry out intensely bloody assaults.
The US military announced last month that this year’s attack count—which ISIS claims to have carried out in both Syria and Iraq—is expected to double from the year before.
In comparison to 121 strikes in all of 2023, ISIS claimed 153 attacks in the two nations in the first half of 2024.
Iraqi leaders claim they can contain the ISIS threat with their own forces and have started discussions with the United States about ending the coalition’s military presence in Iraq.
