Islamic State’s chief of mortar missile stock arrested in western Mosul: Ministry

Mosul (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Interior Ministry has announced arresting Islamic State militant in charge of the mortar missile stock in western Mosul.

In a statement on Tuesday, Maj. Gen. Saad Maan, spokesperson for the ministry, said “Nineveh police depended on information from the intelligence to arrest Islamic State member in charge of the mortar missile stock.”

The militant, according to the statement, “was arrested in al-Bikr district, in west of Mosul.”

Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country.

Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced, in December, full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members.

As many as 3,298 civilians were killed and 4,781 others were wounded in 2017, excluding Anbar civilian casualty figures for November and December, which are not available, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said in a report in December.