Security forces arrest 3 IS elements in northern Diyala

Diyala (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi security forces have arrested three Islamic State (IS) elements in northern Diyala, a security source was quoted by Almaalomah news website.

“Local police, in cooperation with a citizen, managed to capture three elements belonging to the IS terror group in Muqdadiyah, Diyala province, where they were hiding in a house with modern communications devices,” the source said.

“Investigations with the arrested elements are ongoing in a security center in Diyala,” he added.

IS holds pivotal regions that link between each of Diyala, Salahuddin and Kirkuk, posing threats to the liberated regions.

Some areas in Diyala have seen a surge over the past months in bombings and armed attacks against security members, paramilitary groups and civilians.

Attacks launched by Islamic State militants against security troops, the pro-government forces and civilians surged over the past few weeks in northeast of Diyala, which urge the Iraqi forces to prevent the militants infiltration between Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces, especially the regions stretching along Hamreen mountains and Al-Azeem town.

IS is believed to constitute a security threat even after the group’s defeat at its main havens across Iraqi provinces, thus Iraqi government is urged to hasten with security operations to retake regions held by IS since 2014.