On August 29, 2023, U.S. Special Forces under the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment and Iraqi Commandos conducted a raid in Iraq’s Anbar Governorate, resulting in the deaths of 14 ISIS operatives. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Friday that the operation led to the elimination of four senior ISIS leaders.
The four leaders identified were:
– Ahmad Hamid Husayn Abd-al-Jalil al-Ithawi, responsible for all ISIS operations in Iraq,
– Abu Hammam, who oversaw ISIS activities in Western Iraq,
– Abu Ali al-Tunisi, head of technical development, including manufacturing and explosives,
– Shakir Abud Ahmad al-Issawi, in charge of military operations in Western Iraq.
Abu Ali al-Tunisi was of particular interest, with a $5 million U.S. bounty for information leading to his capture or elimination due to his involvement in weapons development and chemical weapons manufacturing.
U.S. Central Command announced earlier today that an August 29th Anti-Terror Operation in the Anbar Governorate of Western Iraq, carried out by Special Forces under the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment and Iraqi Commandos, resulted in the Elimination of 14 ISIS Operatives… pic.twitter.com/VgGL0abV4f
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) September 14, 2024
According to a report from the New York Times, the raid involved over 100 U.S. Special Forces alongside a group of Iraqi forces. According to a statment by CENTCOM, the ISIS operatives were armed with numerous weapons, including grenades and explosive suicide belts. Seven U.S. troops were injured during the raid, five in combat and two from accidental falls. One soldier required evacuation for further medical treatment. There were no reported civilian casualties.
This joint operation was part of continued U.S. military efforts to support Iraqi security forces in combating ISIS. While ISIS has been largely territorially defeated since 2019, U.S. officials estimate that approximately 2,500 ISIS fighters remain active across Iraq and Syria. Earlier this year, CENTCOM reported that ISIS had conducted over 150 attacks in the region between January and June 2023.
The U.S. currently maintains around 2,500 troops in Iraq in an advisory and assistance role, in addition to approximately 900 troops in Syria.
𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗖𝗢𝗠 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗾𝗶 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗾
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces and Iraqi Security Forces conducted a partnered raid in… pic.twitter.com/0XMXjKODne
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 13, 2024
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