Islamic State leader, five guards killed in coalition airstrike in Anbar

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) A senior Islamic State leader was killed in an airstrike by the international coalition in western Anbar, a security source from the province said.

“The airstrike targeted an IS headquarters in the desert of Qaim leaving Majid Mete’b Ojail al-Mahallawi, and five of his guards killed,” the source told Alghad Press on Friday. “Mahallawi pledged allegiance to the group in 2006. He took part in the first attack against Fallujah as well as the operations in Mosul and Qaim, where he settled.”

“Mahallawi kidnapped and tortured a lot of police and army personnel in Qaim after the group took control on it. He also recruited many youth in Iraq and Syria,” the source added.

On Thursday, the U.S.-led Coalition pounded IS locations in Qaim killing five militants.

Anbar’s western towns of Qaim and Rawa have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them in 2015 and 2016.

Iraqi army announced the total recapture of the town of Annah, hours after recapturing neighboring Rayhana area, last month. Troops also liberated Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria.