Two people freed from Islamic State captivity in Mosul city
Women from the Yazidi sect in Iraq, held captive by Islamic State, embrace outside Kirkuk after being released. PHOTO: AKO RASHEED /REUTERS
Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi authorities announced on Saturday the release of two kidnapped people from Islamic State captivity in southwestern Mosul.
“The 44th brigade of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) managed to free two people after having been kidnapped by Islamic State in Al-Hadar district in southwestern Mosul,” Almaalomah website quoted a security source as saying.
The source pointed out that the release of the abductees “came after carrying out a security operation based on accurate intelligence reports.”
During their seizure of the city of Mosul in 2014, Islamic State militants declared a self-styled “caliphate” from there and started to kidnap locals and ask their relatives to pay a ransom in order to release them.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared final victory over the Islamic State militants in December but the group still carries out terrorist attacks against civilians and security forces.
Several security reports warned that the militant group still poses a threat against stability in the country.
Abadi announced in July 2017 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.