Iraqi airstrike kills alleged ISIS leader in Anbar desert 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi fighter jets killed an alleged ISIS leader along with three other suspected members of the group in the western desert areas of Anbar province, according to a statement from the military’s media on Sunday. 

Known as Abu Mansour, the ISIS leader was responsible for “targeting citizens” on the international Al-Rutba highway in Anbar province, the Iraqi Security Media Cell said in a statement. 

The airstrike was carried out based on intelligence from the Ministry of Interior’s Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency. 

Security forces later arrived at the strike site to survey the damage and confiscated several firearms, according to footage reviewed by Kurdistan 24. 

The Iraqi Air Force regularly carries out such strikes against ISIS remnants in rural parts of the country’s north and west, where the militants have hideouts and from where they launch hit-and-run attacks. 

Iraqi, Kurdish, and US-led coalition officials have frequently warned in recent years that ISIS still poses a security threat to Iraq.

In May, the militants killed 11 civilians and police officers in twin attacks on Kirkuk and Nineveh provinces.