President Trump on Thursday celebrated the capturing the five leaders within the Islamic State terrorist group as the result of a three-month Iraqi-U.S. military operation in Syria and Turkey.
“Five Most Wanted leaders of ISIS just captured!” Trump tweeted Thursday morning.
Five Most Wanted leaders of ISIS just captured!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2018
A tweet by Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, noted that the five were “key Daesh leaders” and said Iraqi troops were responsible for the capture.
“#Iraq captures 5 key Daesh leaders during #OperationRoundup. The arrest is a significant blow to Daesh & demonstrates close coordination between #ISF & #SDF in their fight to #defeatDaesh. @CJTFOIR is committed to lasting defeat of Daesh & setting conditions for stabilization,” Dillon tweeted.
#Iraq captures 5 key Daesh leaders during #OperationRoundup. The arrest is a significant blow to Daesh & demonstrates close coordination between #ISF & #SDF in their fight to #defeatDaesh. @CJTFOIR is committed to lasting defeat of Daesh & setting conditions for stabilization.
— OIR Spokesman (@OIRSpox) May 10, 2018
The five commanders taken into custody included Saddam al-Jammel, Mohamed al-Qadeer, Ismail al-Eithawi, Omar al-Karbouli, and Essam al-Zawbai, according to Reuters.
Iraqi news agencies reported the events late Wednesday local time. The five individuals, including one Syrian and four Iraqi nationals, were taken into custody during a complicated cross-border sting that was overseen by Iraqi and U.S. troops, according to the New York Times.
The Iraqi external intelligence agency called the captures a “major victory” in the country’s fight alongside the U.S. and its allies to rid the region of the extremist group’s hold.
Operation Roundup, announced this week, involves fighting the last pockets of ISIS in the region.
