BAGHDAD — Iraq’s prime minister announced Jan. 28 that a military operation launched after a double suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State (IS) a week before had killed the top-ranked IS commander in the country.

IS’ "wali" for Iraq, known as Abu Yasser al-Issawi, was shot in the head. Photos of his dead body circulated shortly after the announcement in WhatsApp groups, blurred on a tweet by the Counterterrorism Services (CTS), which was responsible for the operation in coordination with the national intelligence services.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who was sworn in last May, has led the intelligence services since June 2016, the year the monthslong battle against IS for Mosul began. Iraq declared victory over IS in Mosul in July 2017 and at the country-wide level in December 2017.

Abu Yasser al-Issawi was reportedly the nom de guerre of Jabbar Salman Ali al-Issawi, a 39-year-old native of Fallujah in Anbar province. The city, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of Baghdad, has long been known for its large number of mosques, religious conservatism and tough insurgency following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.