Islamic State members smuggled for US$20,000 from Hawija, Tal Afar to borders: Source
Archival photo.
(IraqiNews.com) Smuggling of Islamic State militants from regions in west of Nineveh and Kirkuk provinces to the Iraqi borders have reached up to US$20,000, a local source from Kirkuk province said.
Speaking to AlSumaria News, the source said “the amount required for smuggling IS foreign members have suddenly surged reaching up to US$20,000 to guarantee the members’ exit from Tal Afar town, west of Mosul, and Hawija town, southwest of Kirkuk province. This came in the wake of losing most of the regions held by the group.”
The source, who preferred anonymity, indicated immigration by the group’s foreign members from Iraq toward neighboring countries. “They cannot leave without smugglers to help.”
On Saturday, Lt.Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah said the fourth phase of liberation will be launched soon to free Tal Afar and other regions to complete the liberation of the whole province.
A source was quoted earlier this month as saying that non-Iraqi IS militants executed the last local leader in Tal Afar and the town is currently run by Arab and foreign members after eliminating all the Iraqi leaders.
Tal Afar is one of the important strongholds still held by IS in Nineveh since August 2014, while Hawija has been held by IS since mid-2014, when the group emerged to proclaim an Islamic “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria.