Iraqi Army’s Chief of Staff vows to quickly respond to ISIS remnants

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, arrived on Wednesday at the site of the attack where army guard posts were targeted by terrorists near Kashkool village in Diyala governorate in eastern Iraq, and vowed to quickly respond to the attack, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

Yarallah instructed the military units to remain cautious and to intensify the intelligence efforts to prevent terrorists from destabilizing the security in Diyala governorate.

Four soldiers were killed and one was wounded in an attack by ISIS militants in Diyala, around 175 kilometers northeast of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, Alaa Al-Saadi from the provincial police command told Xinhua.

Iraq announced in December 2017 that it eliminated ISIS terrorists and imposed full control over all Iraqi territories, including the border with Syria, but some hiding ISIS terrorists are still active in some areas of the country.

More than three years after its military defeat in Iraq and Syria, ISIS is a downgraded threat thanks to the collective efforts of the U.S.-led global coalition that coalesced to defeat it along with Iraqi and Syrian partners, according to the United States Institute of Peace.

While the extremist group’s capacity has been drastically reduced and millions of people have returned home, ISIS has managed to continue attacks year after year despite no longer holding territory, the United States Institute of Peace mentioned.