Peshmerga says Islamic State plans for attacks through suicide bombers

Erbil (IraqiNews.com) The Ministry of Peshmerga has said that the Islamic State group is planning for attacks, adding that the hideout of the group’s supreme leader is still unknown.

“IS is still not totally eliminated, in accordance with the information we have. It’s true it was defeated in the Iraqi cities as an Islamic caliphate and officially in Mosul and Raqqa. However, it was not fully eliminated,” Jabbar al-Yawar, secretary general of the ministry, told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.

“All our information we get from either the Kurdish troops, the U.S.-led Coalition or even from the Iraqi government show that IS seeks reuniting to launch attacks through small groups of suicide attackers,” he added.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced on Saturday full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members. The declaration came after Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, commander of Upper Euphrates and Jazirah Combing Operations, announced liberation of all Iraqi lands from IS.

Abadi declared in July victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city since 2014. More than 25,000 militants were killed throughout the campaign.

Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and paramilitary troops, have been fighting since October 2016 to retake territories Islamic State had occupied.