Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi

Force in Play

As of May 2026: Led CTS from 2020-2023; received French Legion of Honour in 2022

Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State in December 2017 after recapturing Mosul and eliminating the group's territorial caliphate. Eight years later, Iraqi F-16s are still hunting militants in desert hideouts—a reminder that defeating an insurgency's territory is not the same as defeating its fighters.

Updated May 27