Five-strong terrorist cell arrested in Kirkuk on terror charges
Representational photo.
Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) – A terrorist cell was arrested Sunday on terror charges in the Iraqi province of Kirkuk, a police chief was quoted as saying.
“A five-strong terrorist cell was arrested over planting explosive charges in Arab Koi area in Kirkuk,” commander of the Iraqi Federal Police Raed Shaker Jawdat told Iraqi website Alghad Press.
“The arrestees were handed over to the bodies concerned for interrogation,” he added.
Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.
The surge in violence between armed groups and government forces has resulted in over five million internally displaced persons across Iraq and left more than 11 million in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
A total of 90 Iraqi civilians were killed, while 117 others were injured due to acts of violence and terrorism during the month of August, according to the monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
The worst affected province was Baghdad with 77 civilian casualties (24 killed and 53 injured.) Then comes Nineveh with 39 casualties (29 killed and 10 injured). Anbar came in the third place with 32 casualties (6 killed and 26 injured).