Iraqi Airstrikes Eliminate Senior ISIS Operatives in Hamrin Mountains Offensive

According to the official security statement, forensic teams are currently performing identification procedures to confirm the identities of the targeted ISIS operatives, with a particular focus on the two senior-level targets.

A squadron of US- made F16 aircrafts participate in an air show at the Balad Air Base north of Baghdad on April 24, 2024. (Photo: AFP)
A squadron of US- made F16 aircrafts participate in an air show at the Balad Air Base north of Baghdad on April 24, 2024. (Photo: AFP)

Jan. 12, 2025

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Iraq's Security Media Cell confirmed on Sunday that four ISIS militants, including two senior commanders, were killed in precise airstrikes carried out by Iraqi military aircraft in the Hamrin Mountains on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.

According to the official security statement, forensic teams are currently performing identification procedures to confirm the identities of the targeted ISIS operatives, with a particular focus on the two senior-level targets.

The successful operation signifies a noticeable advancement in Iraq's increased counter-terrorism efforts, especially amid mounting international concerns about ISIS's attempts to reorganize and execute prison break operations following recent regional destabilization, notably in Syria after the Assad regime's collapse.

The Hamrin Mountain range, extending across multiple Iraqi provinces, has served as a strategic sanctuary for insurgent elements, requiring constant security operations to maintain territorial integrity and prevent the establishment of militant strongholds.

This operation aligns with intensified regional security measures implemented in response to international intelligence warnings about ISIS's renewed organizational efforts.

The global coalition against ISIS has stressed the crucial importance of maintaining pressure on remnants of ISIS and its militant sleeper cells to prevent their reconstitution and resurgence.

The Iraqi security forces continue to carry out systematic operations targeting ISIS remnants, indicating Baghdad's commitment to regional security stability and the prevention of militant resurgence in strategically important territories.