Iraqi forces deny liberating six people abducted by Islamic State
In a statement late on Monday, the command said, “while security troops are making huge efforts to release the abductees from Karbala and Anbar provinces, who were kidnapped on Diyala-Kirkuk road, the Joint Operations Command urges media channels to stick to accuracy in circulating information without posting untrue news on releasing them in order to protect their lives.”
The command also expressed being keen on announcing any news about them.
Earlier on the same day, news reports quoted security source from the Interior Ministry as saying that troops managed to liberate the six abductees in Kirkuk.
Previously on Monday, Brig. Gen. Yahia Rasool, spokesperson for JOC, expressed wishes to reach the place of the militants and the hostages before the end of the three-day ultimatum, set by Islamic State, before it carries out its threat.
The militant group made the threat, on Sunday, in a video it released on its Amaq propaganda agency, showing six men, with their faces covered in bruises. The detainees were members of the Iraqi police and al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), who were kidnapped last week on a road linking Baghdad to Kirkuk.