Paramilitary troops kill suicide attackers as IS attack foiled near borders with Syria
Fighters of al-Qaeda linked Islamic State of Iraq and Syria carry their weapons during a parade at the Syrian town of Tel Abyad, near the border with Turkey January 2, 2014. Picture taken January 2, 2014. REUTERS/Yaser Al-Khodor (SYRIA – Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) – RTX170UI
In a statement, the media service of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) said on Wednesday that “troops deployed on Iraqi-Syrian borders, west of Mosul, thwarted an infiltration attempt by Islamic State suicide attackers who tried to sneak into Iraq.”
The attackers, according to the statement, were all killed.
Earlier this week, Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, deputy commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces unveiled an Iraqi plan to tighten security measures on the country’s borders with all neighboring countries, particularly with Syria, to foil any possible infiltration attempt by Islamic State.
On Thursday, the service announced foiling an attack by Islamic State militants as they attempted attacking the troops on the south of Tal Sufuk border crossing, Iraqi-Syrian borders.
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.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced, in December, full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members. PMFs had previously gained complete control on Iraqi-Syrian borders.
Thousands of IS 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.