Shafaq News/ A member of the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist group has been apprehended by Iraq's military intelligence following a large-scale operation in Erbil, the Security Media Cell (SMC) reported on Sunday.

An SMC post on social media said that the operation was a result of a successful "high-level cooperation" between the security forces in the "center and the [Kurdistan] Region."

The SMC said the person of interest is wanted by the Iraqi judiciary in accordance with Article 4 of Iraq's counter-terrorism law and he was traced to Erbil, the capital city of the Kurdistan Region, following vigorous intelligence action.

"Legal proceedings against the arrestee were completed and he was handed to the relevant authorities afterward," the SMC said.

In January 2024, The United States and Iraq agreed to start talks on the future of the US-led military coalition in Iraq with the aim of setting a timetable for a phased withdrawal of troops and the coalition's end.

The US has had a continuous presence in Iraq since its 2003 invasion. US combat forces left in 2011, but thousands of troops returned in 2014 to help the Iraqi government defeat ISIS.

Iraq's government says ISIS is defeated and the coalition's job is over, but it is keen to explore establishing bilateral relations with coalition members, including military cooperation in training and equipment. 

Iraq also says the coalition's presence has become a magnet for instability amid near-daily attacks by Iran-backed armed groups on bases housing the forces and US retaliatory strikes, escalating since the Israeli war in Gaza started.