Exclusive: Iraqi Forces eliminate ISIS deputy assistant governor in precision airstrike

Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command (JOC) confirmed the killing of the so-called “Deputy Assistant Governor of ISIS” along with six of his aides, in the Hamrin Mountains.

In a statement, the JOC revealed that the operation resulting in their death was conducted by Iraqi F-16 jets within the Kirkuk Operations Command sector. The strike dismantled an ISIS hideout for militants who had been planning to launch an attack against security forces.

“Following the strike, a specialized unit from the Counter-Terrorism Service, equipped with advanced surveillance and guided by the JOC Targeting Cell, secured the site alongside Kirkuk Operations Command's engineering unit,” the JOC stated.

The JOC further added, “These preemptive measures, guided by accurate intelligence, have dealt a significant blow to the remaining elements of ISIS.”

Earlier, a security source from the Kirkuk Operations Command revealed to Shafaq News that “the strike also led to the recovery of a cache of weapons and equipment, including two M16 rifles, a thermal scope, two hand grenades, a suicide belt, six mobile phones, a flash drive, and a solar panel.”

This operation is part of a broader campaign by Iraqi forces to intensify counterterrorism efforts. Over the past month, these actions have resulted in the deaths of 30 ISIS militants.

Despite its territorial defeat in 2017, ISIS maintains a significant presence in Iraq, particularly in the Triangle of Death (Kirkuk, Saladin, and Diyala), through sleeper cells that engage in guerrilla warfare, assassinations, kidnappings, and extortion to destabilizetheregion.