Iraq announces killing of ISIS leader in Salahaddin

Iraq’s Security Media Cell on Saturday announced the killing of a “dangerous” Islamic State (ISIS) leader in an air operation last month.

The cell announced the killing of Abu Fatima, in an air operation on August 20. The cell added that the deceased was the military commander of the group in Salahaddin province and was one of the “dangerous terrorists and had participated in terrorist attacks against security forces and civillians”.

The cell on Saturday also announced the killing of another four members of the group in an operation on the banks of Lake Hamrin in Diyala province.

Iraqi state media also reported that the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) had destroyed an ISIS den used to produce improvised explosive devices (IEDs) for the group in Salahaddin province.

Iraqi army and Peshmerga have formed joint brigades to fight ISIS in the disputed territories, but government formation turmoil has prevented their work from materializing.

Although joint brigades have not been formed, Kurdish and Iraqi forces launch operations targeting ISIS remnants in the disputed areas. The forces launched the seventh phase of an expansive operation dubbed Solid Will earlier this month.

ISIS seized control of large swathes of Iraqi territory in 2014. The group was declared territorially defeated in 2017 but continues to carry out bombings, hit-and-run attacks, and abductions across several provinces.

The militants have taken shelter in a security vacuum in areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, stretching across several provinces including Kirkuk, Salahaddin, and Diyala.

Source: Rudaw