Iraqi ISIS sleeper cells revived and plotting terror attacks
The ISIS terrorist organization doesn’t pose a serious threat to Iraq, however, its sleeper cells are dangerous, according to Iraqi officials and security experts.
Iraqi leaders and officials still believe the military institution is capable of inflicting defeats on ISIS cells, despite warnings against the emergence of new ranks of the terrorist organization, according to a US report released this week.
The only thing ISIS is capable of doing now is to occupy the security forces and services, claims security expert Fadel Abu Raghef.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the expert indicated that ISIS’ activity will not affect official bodies’ pursuit of the terrorist organization, questioning the organization’s ability to affect the security given that Iraqi intelligence and military performance have developed a lot during the past years, and local community’s rejection of these terrorists.
Firefighters have successfully put out a fire at a strategic oil pipeline in northern Iraq that links oil-rich Kirkuk to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, a security source told Reuters on Wednesday, adding that the pipeline is currently not operational.
The source explained that the fire started after six improvised explosive devices went off in succession in the Ain al-Jahsh village of Nineveh province’s Shura sub-district, 70 km south of Mosul.
Sinjar mayor Mahma Khalil Agha warned of ISIS sleeper cells in the disputed Sinjar district between Erbil and Baghdad.
Agha said in a statement that every now and then, these cells attack farmers and Yazidi farm workers in Gohbal village, near Jari.
He added that four cars carrying armed fighters attacked farmers and Yazidi workers in the village, and the farmers thwarted the attack without any help from army units, which did not lift a finger.
The mayor called for the replacement of the army forces in the region because of their inability to control security.
He pointed out that the activities of these sleeper terrorist cells can bring back migration among Yazidis, and lead to disruption of all plans devised by the Iraqi government for the return of displaced persons to their areas.
In other news, directorate of Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) announced the death of two ISIS elements and the destruction of four vehicles, south of Tal Afar to the west of Mosul.
PMF’s “Security Media Unit” announced the death of four terrorists in a tunnel in Nineveh. The unit announced that during a pre-emptive operation, a joint force killed four terrorists who were inside a tunnel in the Sheikh Ibrahim mountain range.
Source: Aawsat
