Iraq arrests eight suspected ISIS members in security operations

Shafaq News/ Iraqi security forces arrested eight suspected members of ISIS in operations across Al-Anbar, Nineveh, and Maysan provinces, the military said on Monday.

The arrests were carried out under Article 4 of Iraq’s counterterrorism law, and the detainees were handed over to the relevant authorities for legal proceedings.

Since the beginning of March, Iraqi forces have detained more than ten ISIS-affiliated members mainly in Saladin and Al-Anbar provinces, and have killed dozens of fighters, including senior figure Abdullah Maki Mishal Mahdi Al-Rifa'I (known as Abu Khadija,).

ISIS, which once controlled large swathes of Iraq, was declared territorially defeated in 2017 after a years-long military campaign. However, its sleeper cells continue to stage attacks, particularly in remote and desert areas.