Putting ISIS on the ropes: Did the US dent terrorism in Iraq? - analysis

The assassination is certainly an important development and illustrates how important the US support for Iraq and the war on ISIS continues to be.

 Members of an Iraqi Shi'ite armed group sit in a vehicle after an attack by a drone strike on an Iran-backed militia headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq January 4, 2024.  (photo credit: REUTERS/AHMED SAAD)
Members of an Iraqi Shi'ite armed group sit in a vehicle after an attack by a drone strike on an Iran-backed militia headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq January 4, 2024.
(photo credit: REUTERS/AHMED SAAD)

The key question is whether the US military’s killing of Abu Khadijah will finally break the back of ISIS in Iraq.

The assassination is certainly an important development and illustrates how important the US support for Iraq and the war on ISIS continues to be.

The US Consulate in Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region, put out a statement noting “our partnership with the Peshmerga Forces has been instrumental in the fight against ISIS, contributing significantly to the safety and security of the United States, Iraq, and the IKR [Iraqi Kurdistan Region].”

ISIS has been weakened in Iraq through the important cooperation of Erbil, Baghdad and Washington. There are developments across the border in Syria as well.

Battling ISIS in Syria

In Eastern Syria, the SDF is working to defeat ISIS cells as well. There were concerns that when the Assad regime collapsed, ISIS might take advantage of the chaos. So far, the jihadist group has been kept in check.

Smoke rises while members of the Syrian forces ride on a vehicle as they battle against a nascent insurgency by fighters from ousted leader Bashar al-Assad's Alawite sect, in Latakia, Syria, on March 7, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/KARAM AL-MASRI)
Smoke rises while members of the Syrian forces ride on a vehicle as they battle against a nascent insurgency by fighters from ousted leader Bashar al-Assad's Alawite sect, in Latakia, Syria, on March 7, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/KARAM AL-MASRI)

A US-backed force called the Syrian Free Army, which operates in the desert regions of Homs province near Tanf, a US base in southern Syria, also plays a key role. All of this matters because the SDF recently signed a new agreement with Damascus in which its forces and region may be integrated into the Damascus-led Syrian forces.

This is important but it must be managed well. If the US withdraws from Syria or if other factors come into play, ISIS could take advantage. Many ISIS detainees are held in eastern Syria by the SDF, for instance. It’s important to follow up on the recent success in Iraq and look at the larger picture.