Mount Makhol: Renewed agricultural activity coincides with diminished ISIS presence

Shafaq News / In a unanimous agreement, both Iraqi public and official spheres converged on Wednesday to affirm the discernible absence of ISIS militants from the hills of Mount Makhol on the outskirts of Saladin and along the borders of Nineveh. This development comes in the wake of a gradual resurgence in agricultural endeavors in the vicinity of the mountains.

Recent security operations have effectively neutralized significant ISIS strongholds and hideouts over the past months, resulting in the elimination of numerous key figures and members within the group. The majority of them have sought refuge in alternate governorates to evade both aerial and ground countermeasures.

Abu Mohammed al-Obaidi, a 46-year-old resident of villages near Mount Makhol, corroborated to Shafaq News Agency that "more than 15 villages have reclaimed the areas surrounding Mount Makhol after serving as off-limits locations and strongholds for ISIS throughout preceding years."

Al-Obaidi emphasized the revival of agricultural and livestock activities near Mount Makhol, attributing this resurgence to heightened security stability and the comprehensive cleansing of the mountains from terrorist elements. However, he cautioned that "vigilance remains imperative against potential dormant ambushes set up by ISIS or any sudden, unexpected assaults targeting us."

Mohammed Zaidan, the director of al-Zawiyah district adjacent to Mount Makhol, further observed the dissipation of the ISIS threat due to the substantial security presence of the 91st Army Brigade, the 9th Saladin Emergency Regiment, and al-Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces - P.M.F.).

Zaidan elaborated that "previously treacherous routes are now secure for both locals and farmers. The specter of road ambushes has been consigned to history." He regarded the successful cleansing of Mount Makhol as "the definitive eradication of Iraq's most intense terrorist hotbed," asserting that "complete security control extends across all areas of Mount Makhol, with no recorded security incidents for over a year."

Conversely, Rassoul Jasim, the director of Makhol district in northwestern Saladin, postulated that the gradual revival of agricultural undertakings on Mount Makhol's periphery serves as a significant livelihood asset for local villages. Jasim concurred that the ISIS threat in Makhol has considerably dwindled, yet underscored that "security evaluations of the Makhol situation are under the jurisdiction of competent authorities."

Jasim further underscored the repatriation of the majority of displaced families to their native localities, facilitated by the implementation of comprehensive security plans surrounding Mount Makhol. Nonetheless, he stressed that preserving stability and security necessitates continued exertion and strategic planning to forestall the resurgence of terrorist strongholds.

Meanwhile, Mahir Masood al-Dulaimi, a leader within the P.M.F., asserted that ongoing monitoring and surveillance protocols encompass the region around Mount Makhol and neighboring villages, following the division of security responsibilities among the army, police, and mobilization forces.

Al-Dulaimi emphasized that "persistent monitoring and surveillance, facilitated by drone technology, actively track and identify any ISIS movements or endeavors to regain a foothold in the mountains and strongholds." He affirmed that "security and intelligence coordination remains a continuous endeavor aimed at safeguarding villages against potential terrorist threats."

It is noteworthy that Mount Makhol has constituted a focal point for armed organizations throughout recent years due to its challenging terrain, security vulnerabilities, and limited susceptibility to airstrikes.