Seven Islamic State terrorists apprehended over plots to destabilize Mosul

An Iraqi official source said on Wednesday that Iraqi troops foiled a terrorist plot by the Islamic State (IS) group to destabilize the situation in Mosul through targeting vital facilities with bombs and assassinating public figures there.

Speaking to the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi daily newspaper, the source said, “Security forces arrested a terrorist group made up of seven IS members, who planned to detonate commercial and vital areas in Mosul, as well as assassinating well-placed figures and robbing houses to make the situation in the city unstable.”

The source pointed out that the “seven-strong group fled Mosul after Iraqi troops liberated it from terrorism last year,” adding that the arrests were made upon accurate intelligence reports.

“The terrorists were arrested with 20 homemade bombs, light weapons and other materials used for making explosives,” the source concluded.

On July 10, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced liberation of the second largest Iraqi city of Mosul from IS militants, who had captured it in 2014. More than 25,000 militants were killed throughout the campaign, which started in October 2016.

A government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and a U.S.-led international coalition, has been fighting the Islamic State group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.

Source: Iraqi News