Iraq sentences Russian Islamic State member, arrested in Mosul, to death

The Central Criminal Court in Baghdad has sentenced a Russian national Islamic State member, who was arrested during battles in Mosul, to death.

Spokesperson of the Supreme Judicial Council Abdul Sattar Bayraktar said in a statement on Tuesday that the sentence came after the convict admitted to carrying out “several terrorist operations against security services since 2015.”

However, authorities did not reveal his identity.

According to Bayraktar, the convict belonged to the so-called ‘al-Zarqawi brigade’, affiliated to IS. He was arrested in the western flank of Mosul, as he ran out of ammunition.

The first death sentence of a foreign convict accused of carrying out terrorist crimes took place in Nasiriyah prison, Dhi Qar province. The sentence was carried out in February 2016, according to Justice Ministry, which did not reveal the convict’s identity or any other details.

In Late June, Iraqi troops took over the Old City’s Nuri al-Kabir Mosque, where IS supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi first declared the proclaimed caliphate covering parts of Iraq and Syria. Later on July 10, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city since 2014. More than 25000 militants were killed throughout the campaign, which started in October.

Since the city was declared free, security troops continue to comb western Mosul areas for hidden IS cells.

Despite declaring the victory over IS there in the city, observers say IS is believed to constitute a security threat even after the group’s defeat at its main havens across Iraqi provinces.

Earlier this month, troops launched offensive to recapture Tal Afar ton, the last IS bastion in Nineveh province. Other IS havens in Anbar, Kirkuk and Salahuddin are expected to be targeted by the iraqi government soon.