The Rise of ISIS and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
To understand who killed the leader of ISIS, we must first examine the origins of the group and its most prominent figure, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Born Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri in 1971 near Samarra, Iraq, al-Baghdadi emerged as a radical cleric with a background in Islamic theology. His journey into militancy began after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, which destabilized the country and created a power vacuum that extremist groups exploited. Initially involved with al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), al-Baghdadi rose through the ranks following the death of AQI leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in a 2006 U.S. airstrike. By 2010, he had assumed leadership of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), a successor to AQI.
In 2013, al-Baghdadi expanded ISI’s operations into Syria amid the country’s civil war, renaming the group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In June 2014, he declared himself the "caliph" of a self-proclaimed Islamic caliphate, a bold move that signaled ISIS’s ambition to establish a global jihadist empire. Under his command, ISIS seized vast territories, including the Iraqi city of Mosul, and perpetrated horrific atrocities—mass executions, enslavement of Yazidi women, and beheadings of Western hostages—that shocked the world. Al-Baghdadi became the face of this reign of terror, making him a prime target for international counterterrorism efforts.
The Operation to Eliminate Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
The most high-profile killing of an ISIS leader occurred on October 26-27, 2019, when U.S. special forces conducted a daring raid in northwestern Syria that resulted in al-Baghdadi’s death. This operation, codenamed "Kayla Mueller" after an American aid worker kidnapped and killed by ISIS, was a meticulously planned effort led by the U.S. military with support from intelligence agencies and regional allies.
The raid took place in the village of Barisha, located in Idlib province near the Turkish border—an unexpected hideout, as Idlib was controlled by rival factions, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an al-Qaeda-linked group opposed to ISIS. Intelligence pinpointing al-Baghdadi’s location came from multiple sources, including the CIA’s Special Activities Division, Iraqi and Kurdish intelligence, and even a captured ISIS courier and one of al-Baghdadi’s wives. This collaborative effort allowed U.S. forces to track him to a compound where he was living under a false identity.
On the night of the operation, U.S. Delta Force operators, supported by helicopters, jets, and drones, descended on the compound. As they approached, al-Baghdadi fled into a tunnel with three of his children. Cornered and pursued by military working dogs, including a Belgian Malinois named Conan, he detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and the children. The blast mutilated his body, but DNA testing conducted on-site confirmed his identity within hours. President Donald Trump announced the success of the mission on October 27, 2019, famously describing al-Baghdadi’s death: "He died like a dog. He died like a coward. The world is now a much safer place."
The U.S. military’s role was central, but the operation relied on cooperation from regional actors. Turkey was informed in advance to avoid airspace conflicts, and Russia, which controlled parts of Syrian airspace, refrained from interfering after being notified of U.S. activity—though not the specific target. Kurdish forces, particularly the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), provided critical intelligence, while Iraqi officials contributed insights from captured ISIS members. This multinational effort underscored the global resolve to dismantle ISIS’s leadership.
Successors and Subsequent Operations
Al-Baghdadi’s death was a significant blow to ISIS, but the group quickly named a successor, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, in November 2019. Less charismatic and more secretive than his predecessor, al-Qurayshi led ISIS during a period of decline, as the group had lost its territorial caliphate by early 2019. On February 3, 2022, U.S. special forces struck again, targeting al-Qurayshi in Atmeh, Syria—ironically, just 15 kilometers from where al-Baghdadi was killed. In this raid, al-Qurayshi detonated an explosive device, killing himself, his wife, and two children. President Joe Biden hailed the operation as a testament to U.S. commitment to combating terrorism, noting al-Qurayshi’s role in overseeing the 2014 Yazidi genocide and a recent prison attack in northeastern Syria.
The pattern of U.S.-led operations continued with the deaths of subsequent ISIS leaders. In July 2022, a U.S. drone strike killed Maher al-Agal, identified as the ISIS leader in Syria, in Aleppo province. In July 2023, another drone strike eliminated Usamah al-Muhajir, an ISIS leader in eastern Syria. Most recently, on March 14, 2025, President Donald Trump announced the killing of Abdullah Makki Musleh al-Rifai (alias Abu Khadija), described as a senior ISIS figure in Iraq, in a joint operation with Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition in Anbar province. Each of these operations showcased the U.S. military’s precision and persistence, often supported by local allies like the SDF, Iraqi forces, or Turkish intelligence.
Who Else Claimed Responsibility?
While the U.S. has been the primary force behind these high-profile killings, other actors have occasionally claimed involvement. In April 2023, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkish intelligence had killed Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi, al-Qurayshi’s successor, in northern Syria. However, ISIS later contradicted this, stating he died fighting HTS in Idlib, not in a Turkish operation. This discrepancy highlights the chaotic nature of Syria’s conflict, where multiple factions and nations vie for credit and influence. Nonetheless, the U.S. has consistently been the most verifiable and dominant player in targeting ISIS leadership.
Implications and the Broader Fight Against ISIS
The repeated elimination of ISIS leaders raises questions about the group’s resilience and the effectiveness of these "decapitation" strikes. While each death disrupts command structures and morale, ISIS has proven adept at regenerating its leadership, drawing from a pool of seasoned militants hardened by years of insurgency. The group’s ideology, rooted in apocalyptic Salafi-jihadism, continues to inspire attacks worldwide, from Afghanistan to Africa, even as its territorial ambitions have waned.
The U.S. strategy, combining special forces raids, drone strikes, and coalition partnerships, has significantly weakened ISIS’s operational capacity. However, critics argue that focusing on leadership targets does not address the root causes—poverty, sectarian strife, and political instability—that fuel extremism. The deaths of civilians during some operations, such as those caught in al-Qurayshi’s 2022 explosion, also complicate the narrative, drawing scrutiny from human rights groups.
Conclusion
So, who killed the leader of ISIS? In the case of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, it was U.S. Delta Force operators, backed by a coalition of intelligence and regional support, who ended his reign in 2019. Subsequent leaders met similar fates at the hands of U.S. forces, often in collaboration with Iraqi, Kurdish, or Syrian allies. These operations reflect a relentless campaign to dismantle ISIS, driven by advanced technology, intelligence-sharing, and military precision. Yet, as ISIS adapts and persists, the question remains: will killing its leaders ultimately defeat the group, or is a broader solution needed to extinguish its enduring threat? For now, the U.S. and its partners remain the architects of these high-stakes victories, reshaping the battlefield one strike at a time.
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