Iraqi security forces detained at least 14 Islamic State terrorists in Nineveh

Iraqi security forces arrested on Wednesday 14 Islamic State militants during a security operation in Nineveh province, the official security media outlet announced.

“A joint force made up of the homeland security apparatus, the Popular Mobilization Forces and the Military Intelligence Directorate carried out a wide-scale security operation in some districts of Nineveh,” the privately-owned Baghdad Today website quoted the Iraqi Security Media Center as saying in a statement.

According to the statement, the troops managed to arrest 14 Islamic State militants, who fought against security forces during the military operations to liberate Nineveh from terrorism.

“The arrestees were handed over to the competent authorities for interrogation,” added the statement.

In August 2017, former Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi announced that Nineveh province was “fully liberated” from Islamic State, after the district of Tal Afar was re-captured.

IS declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014. A government campaign, backed by a U.S.-led international coalition and paramilitary forces, was launched in 2016 to retake IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens, most notably the city of Mosul, the group’s previously proclaimed capital.

Despite the group’s crushing defeat at its main havens across Iraq, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks against troops with security reports warning that the militant group still poses a threat against stability in the country.

Source: Iraqi News