ISIS terrorist group could recapture northern Iraq

Iraqi security officials say that territory in the north could easily be recaptured by ISIL despite Baghdad’s insistence that the extremists have been defeated.

The admission came as a report by Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre said there have been more attacks even though terror deaths have declined.

Although victory was declared against ISIL in December, the group continues as the world’s most active terror organisation by number of attacks, according to research by the London-based centre.

A commander of the paramilitary units known as the Hashed Al Shaabi who fought alongside Iraqi troops in routing the extremists, said the northern city of Nimrud (in Nineveh governorate) could “fall at any time because security there is so fragile.”

Ali Al Bayati stressed that the extremist group could easily recapture areas of Iraq especially near the border with Syria.

“Fighters who have fled their former stronghold [Mosul city] and taken refuge to the west, in the vast desert towards the Syrian border, have since launched attacks on security forces and civilians,” he said.

Source: The National