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TerrorismIraq

Iraqi forces capture deputy IS leader

October 11, 2021

Iraqi forces claim to have captured a high-ranking leader of the "Islamic State" in an international operation, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has announced on Twitter.

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A member of Iraq's security forces stands guard in front of the US embassy in the capital Baghdad
The raid took place outside of the country's borders, the prime minister saidImage: Ahmad Al Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images

Iraqi forces captured a high ranking "Islamic State" figure who served as deputy to the slain leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announced on Monday.

"While our ISF [Iraqi security forces] heroes focused on securing the elections, their INIS [Iraqi national intelligence services] colleagues were conducting a complex external operation to capture Sami Jasim," he said in a post on Twitter.

Jasim ran the terrorist group's finances and was the subject of a reward issued by the US government. He also served as an aide to the group's late leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

US forces killed Baghdadi in a raid in northwestern Syria in 2019.

Jasim, whose full name is Sami Jasim Muhammad al-Jaburi, also goes by Hajji Hamid. The FBI describes him as "a legacy member of ISIS's predecessor organization, al-Qa'ida in Iraq (AQI)" on its Rewards for Justice website.

Iraqi Federal Police members hold an Islamic State flag, which they pulled down during fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militant in Mosul in 2017
Iraqi Federal Police members hold an Islamic State flag, which they pulled down during fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militant in Mosul in 2017Image: Reuters/A. Saad

The FBI adds, "While serving as ISIS deputy in southern Mosul in 2014, he reportedly served as the equivalent of ISIS's finance minister, supervising the group's revenue-generating operations from illicit sales of oil, gas, antiquities and minerals."

The US Treasury placed him on a sanctions list in September 2015.

ar/aw (dpa, Reuters)