Iraqi police arrest former Islamic State provincial ruler in Mosul
Members of Iraqi Federal Police carry their weapon at the frontline during a battle with Islamic State militants in western Mosul, Iraq June 5, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi police forces arrested Thursday a former Islamic State provincial ruler in the city of Mosul, also running into facilities belonging to the militants.
Saleh Yunis, a colonel in Nineveh police, told BasNews website that forces arrested Mejhem (Abu Seif) al-Barari, a former ruler of the Islamic State in the town of Tel Keif, west of Mosul.
He said troops also ran into three rest houses in a separate raid near Mosul Dam, where diverse munitions were confiscated.
Iraq declared victory over Islamic State militants in December 2017, ending a three-year military campaign against the group to retake areas they had occupied to proclaim a self-styled “caliphate”. But the group has carried out several attacks against security and civilians since then.Security authorities regularly declare the arrest of remnant militant cells linked with the group.
Mosul was Islamic State’s capital and base of operations in Iraq. It was from its Grand Nuri Mosque thart IS founder, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, proclaimed the group’s rule. Iraqi forces recaptured the city last July after an operation that lasted for more than eight months.