Four Islamic State fighters arrested on terror charges in Kirkuk
Iraqi security forces arrest a suspected member of the Islamic State group
Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi security forces arrested on Wednesday four Islamic State militants, who are wanted on terror charges, in Kirkuk, the Iraqi Security Media Center announced.
“Iraqi troops have arrested four IS militants after storming their hideout in the neighborhood of Panja Ali, Kirkuk,” spokesman for the Iraqi Security Media Center Yehia Rasool told Alforat News Wednesday.
According to Rasool, the arrestees were wanted on terror charges pursuant to article 1/4 of the anti-terrorism law.
The spokesman added that the terrorists were “delivered to the competent judicial bodies for interrogation.”
IS declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014. A government campaign, backed by a U.S.-led international coalition and paramilitary forces, was launched in 2016 to retake IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens, most notably the city of Mosul, the group’s previously proclaimed capital.
Iraq declared victory over Islamic State in December with the help of a US-led alliance, having retaken all the territory captured by the extremists in 2014 and 2015.
Despite the group’s defeat, isolated cells believed to be linked to Islamic State remain active in some parts of the country. In recent weeks, suspected Islamic State insurgents have carried out several attacks targeting security forces in several areas in Mosul.