Iraqi official warns of “serious threats” against civilians, worship places in Salahuddin
An Iraqi solider waves the “V” victory sign following a great triumph over the Islamic State group
Salahuddin (Iraqinews.com) – An Iraqi provincial official has warned of “serious threats” that target worship places and civilians in the areas east of Salahuddin province.
According to SNG news agency, Salah El-Din Jassim al-Jabara, the chief of Salahuddin’s provincial council, called in a press release for setting up security checkpoints in the province’s eastern districts to fact serious threats posed by the terrorist Islamic State group.
“Such terrorist threats target gatherings of civilians and worship places in the eastern parts of the province,” the statement read.
Al- Jabara further urged stepping up security measures in the areas east of Tikrit, the administrative capital of Salahuddin, due to the presence of security threats there.
Iraq claimed victory over the extremist group of Islamic State late last year, ending three-years of war to retake areas the militants had occupied in 2014 to declare an “Islamic Caliphate”.
But since then, remnant cells remained at some desert areas, carrying out occasional attacks against security members and civilians.
Islamic State 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 , 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.