Two ISIS terrorist group leaders captured in Kirkuk

Iraqi forces have arrested two leaders of the Islamic State (IS) in Kirkuk, an official statement confirmed.

One of the men was introduced as a military commander fighting alongside IS during the past few years when the jihadist group was in control of northern and western territories of Iraq, ministry of interior revealed.

The statement pointed out that the man was responsible for leading battles against Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces.

The Iraqi government declared the entire country liberated from IS late in 2017. However, the group remains active through its sleeper cells, especially in the provinces of Nineveh, Kirkuk, Anbar, Salahaddin and Diyala.

After taking control of Mosul in June 2014, IS declared a proclaimed caliphate over a vast area stretched from Iraq to Syria.

More than four years on, the group is still in control of some territories in Syria, struggling to maintain its last pockets while the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has tightened the noose around the IS-held areas.

Source: Basnews