Shafaq News/ Iraqi security forces have arrested Al-Qa'qa Mahmoud Saber Al-Janabi, a key operative responsible for reorganizing ISIS sleeper cells in Baghdad, a source from the Al-Rusafa Police reported on Monday.

The arrest followed a meticulous 15-day surveillance operation.

The source revealed that a joint force from the Al-Zaafaraniya Police Department and Patrol Unit tracked Al-Janabi’s movements, as he was wanted under Article 413 of the Iraqi Penal Code.

Al-Janabi was actively involved in ISIS propaganda and recruitment efforts in the Al-Zaafaraniya area, particularly in Saddat Al-Janabat, the source clarified, stating, “He held brief, clandestine meetings with sleeper cells near a horse stable behind his residence before disappearing to avoid detection.”

“Authorities executed a carefully planned ambush in the Al-Karrada area, using civilian patrols to monitor Al-Janabi,” the source said, adding, “He was apprehended inside the ‘Beit Halab’ restaurant on Street 62 after coordination with the Al-Karrada Police Department.”

The source revealed that authorities found videos of ISIS members in Al-Janabi's phone, stating that he has since been detained at the Al-Zaafaraniya Police Station, where legal proceedings are underway.

Notably, in 2024, Iraqi forces intensified their operations against ISIS, resulting in the arrest and killing of dozens, including prominent leaders.

Despite its territorial defeat in 2017, ISIS maintains a significant presence in Iraq, particularly in the Triangle of Death (Kirkuk, Saladin, and Diyala), through sleeper cells that engage in guerrilla warfare, assassinations, kidnappings, and extortion to destabilize the region.