Shafaq News/ Iraq's federal counter-terrorism agency on Friday said it had apprehended three persons with links to the Islamic State extremist group in separate operations in al-Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk.

According to an official statement, the agency, in cooperation with al-Sulaymaniyah's Counter-Terrorism-Group (CTG) captured two ISIS terrorists in the cities of Kalar and Bazyan.

"Simultaneously, a special force from the federal Counter-Terrorism body carried out a successful operation in which a terrorist affiliated with ISIS was neutralized," the statement said.