Iraqi security: Dangerous Islamic State leader killed in Mosul
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Nineveh (Iraqinews.com) – A notorious Islamic State (IS) leader was killed Sunday by pro-government forces in the northern province of Nineveh, an Iraqi security source was quoted as saying.
“The 90th brigade of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) killed Ibrahim el-Yassin, a prominent IS leader, in an ambush in al-Safina village, south of Mosul,” the source, who preferred to be unnamed, told Sputnik.
The paramilitary forces acted on precise intelligence data as they managed to kill Yassin while buying some food, according to the source.
The source pointed out that Yassin was wanted on charged of killing Iraqi policemen in southern Mosul.
Last July, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced liberation of the second largest Iraqi city of Mosul from IS militants, who had captured it in 2014. More than 25,000 militants were killed throughout the campaign, which started in October 2016.
Despite the group’s crushing defeat at its main havens across Iraq, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks against troops with security reports warning that the militant group still poses a threat against stability in the country.
The United Nations says nearly five million people have been displaced and more than 11 million are in need of humanitarian assistance since Islamic State militants took over large areas of Iraq in 2014 to proclaim a self-styled “Islamic Caliphate”.