ISIS ‘governor of Iraq’ killed in Syria, says Baghdad

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - ISIS’s “governor of Iraq” has been killed in a US-led coalition raid on the militant group in eastern Syria, Iraqi intelligence announced on Tuesday.

Moataz Numan Al Jubouri, known as the “governor of Iraq and head of ISIS’s foreign operations”, was killed in an airstrike in Syria's Deir Ezzor province, the agency said. He was also known by the nom de gare Hajji Tayseer.

The attack was conducted by the coalition with the assistance of Iraq's intelligence and counter-terrorism services.

“Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi expresses his appreciation for the efforts of the National Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Services for their coordination by exchanging information that led to the killing of the terrorist Moataz Numan Al Jubouri (Hajji Tayseer),” the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service said.

They added that Al Jubouri oversaw the terror group's state-building efforts and was responsible for planning and coordinating foreign terrorist operations.

"The intelligence services have been monitoring Al Jubouri's activities and movement for some time," the statement said.

The US-led coalition has not commented on the operation.

Iraq said last week that it had arrested a potential successor to the late ISIS leader, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi.

Al Baghdadi, who led the extremist group since 2014 and was the world's most wanted man, was killed when he detonated a suicide vest as US special forces raided his hideout in Syria's north-western province of Idlib in October 2019.

In 2017, Iraqi forces and their international partners managed to push back ISIS and declare military victory in the country, although the group has continued to launch attacks.

ISIS sleeper cells have stepped up ambushes and attacks across northern Iraq in recent weeks, killing and wounding Iraqi and foreign security personnel.

The terror group still has bases in rural areas of Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Saladin, and Mosul.

But the coalition believes the group is losing ground although it remains a potent opponent.

Since mid-March, the US-led coalition has withdrawn from several bases across Iraq in a planned drawdown due to fears over an outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and security.

Until last month, there were about 7,500 coalition troops in the country, including 5,000 US personnel.