Iraq Announces Killing of Senior Daesh Leader in Syria

BAGHDAD, Sept 20 (VoM): Iraq’s counterterrorism service announced on Friday that a senior Daesh commander was killed in Syria during a joint security operation conducted with support from the US-led international coalition.

The militant, identified as Omar Abdul Qader Bassam, also known by his nom de guerre “Abdul Rahman Al-Halabi,” was responsible for the group’s external operations and security portfolio, Iraqi officials said.

According to the statement, Al-Halabi played a central role in plotting and directing attacks beyond the Middle East. He was accused of orchestrating the 2013 bombing of Iran’s embassy in Lebanon and attempting to coordinate other large-scale operations in Europe and the United States, which intelligence services successfully thwarted.

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) has intensified its strikes against Daesh operatives in Syria in recent months. American officials have repeatedly cautioned that the extremist group is attempting to regroup and reassert its presence in the region following the collapse of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime late last year.

The killing of Al-Halabi is being hailed as a significant blow to Daesh’s operational network, particularly its efforts to revive transnational attacks. However, security experts warn the group still maintains sleeper cells in both Syria and Iraq, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by the extremists.