ISIS bomber arrested before carrying out suicide attack in Diyala

The Iraqi Interior Ministry has announced thwarting a suicide attack in Diyala province.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Maj. Gen. Saad Maan, spokesperson for the ministry, said counter-terrorism forces in Diyala “were able to arrest a militant who was going to blow himself up in the outskirts of Khanaqeen region.”

The militant, according to Maan, “was planning to carry out a terrorist attack through blowing himself up. He belonged to the so-called Cubs of the Caliphate and was trained on suicide attacks.”

On Monday, the pro-government paramilitary troops reportedly killed two Islamic State members, repelling an attack carried out in the desert of Udhaim region, northeast of Diyala.

Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016.

Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country. The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.

In December, Iraq announced gaining control on all the territories that were captured by Islamic State, since 2014.

Source: Iraqi News