Islamic State terrorist arrested while working at Iraqi university

The Iraqi Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced on Saturday the arrest of a member of the Islamic State (IS) working at a university in northern Iraq.

“Detachments of the national security apparatus in Nineveh Province, based on accurate intelligence, were able to arrest a Daesh (IS) member working in a university as a contractor,” MOI said in a statement.

The statement did not specify the identity of the detainee nor the name of the university where he worked, but noted that “the accused was handed over to the qualified judicial authorities to record his statements and take necessary legal action against him.”

Iraqi intelligence previously warned that the terrorist organization has begun recruiting residents of civilian areas to carry out assassinations against Iraqi security officers.

Following the emergence of the jihadist group in 2014 and the surprise fall of Mosul, IS used the campus of Mosul University, a likely candidate for the location of the announced arrest, as its Finance Ministry.

Iraqi forces launched the military operation to liberate Mosul on Oct. 2016 and re-took control of the city on July 21, 2017. During the liberation process, the intense fighting between Iraqi forces and IS militants caused severe damage to university buildings.

Despite Iraq declaring “final victory” over IS last December, the group continues to launch insurgency-style attacks, kidnappings, and ambushes in provinces including Nineveh, Anbar, Baghdad, and the disputed provinces of Kirkuk, Diyala, and Salahuddin.

Concerns over a lack of security and continued IS activities in Kirkuk and Diyala Provinces have grown over the past few months as the extremist group continues to carry out small-scale attacks and threaten residents.

Source: Kurd24