Iraqi CT service announces killing of ISIS external-ops chief in Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service (ICTS) announced on Friday that a senior Islamic State (ISIS) operative, Omar Abdul Qader Bassam — known as “Abdulrahman al-Halabi” — was killed during a targeted operation inside Syrian territory carried out in coordination with the U.S.-led Global Coalition.
In an official statement, the ICTS identified the deceased as the group’s head of external operations and security, saying he was responsible for planning and supervising what the statement described as ISIS’s “remote governorates.” The service said the operation followed months of precise intelligence work and judicial support that located the target before a coalition airstrike neutralised him.
The ICTS further alleged that al-Halabi had direct involvement in the 2013 bombing of the Iranian embassy in Beirut and in attempted plots in Europe and the United States that were foiled by intelligence efforts. The statement described his death as a “major strategic loss” for the organisation and said it follows a series of strikes over the past two months that it credited with eliminating several senior ISIS figures.
The Iraqi service said the operation was conducted “inside Syrian territory” and explicitly noted coordination with the Global Coalition; the announcement did not specify the precise location inside Syria or provide independent confirmation from coalition or Syrian government sources at the time of publication.
North Press contacted coalition and regional authorities for comment; as of this report the U.S.-led coalition had not issued an immediate public statement corroborating the ICTS account, nor did Syrian authorities publish confirmation. The ICTS statement, carried by Iraqi state media, said the operation was the result of “longstanding intelligence follow-up” and legal coordination.
The ICTS said it will continue operations to pursue remaining ISIS elements “wherever they are found,” pledging ongoing efforts to dismantle the group’s networks. Follow-up reporting may provide further details as coalition and regional authorities comment.