Huge amounts of Islamic State’s weapons seized, southwest of Mosul
Security forces seize weapons in Kirkuk.
“The weapons are estimated by 40 tons,” the source told Alghad Press. “The weapons were found buried under the ground in Ain al-Jahsh region, southwest of Mosul.”
Earlier on the day, curfew was imposed in al-Eraij village, south of Mosul,in search for IS members, who launched an armed attack against the village on Saturday night. Moreover, five IS members were killed as the pro-government al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] foiled an attack by the militants through Tal Sufuk crossing on the Iraqi-Syrian borders.
Despite declaring the victory over IS in Mosul, the group’s former bastion in Iraq, observers say IS is believed to constitute a security threat even after the group’s defeat at its main havens across Iraqi provinces.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared, in July, victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city since 2014. More than 25000 militants were killed throughout the campaign.
A government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition has been fighting, since October 2016, the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.
The war against IS has so far displaced at least five million people. Thousands of others fled toward neighboring countries including Syria, Turkey and other European countries, since IS emerged to proclaim its self-styled “caliphate”.