Kurdistan’s Asayish captures two ISIS members in Al-Sulaymaniyah

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Asayish Directorate in Al-Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region, announced the arrest of two ISIS terrorists in the Bani Maqan area, based on "precise" intelligence.

The directorate stated that on Monday night, Asayish forces apprehended the two individuals sought by the Iraqi National Security Service under Article 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

“The terrorists, who had previously taken part in multiple ISIS operations and armed attacks, attempted to flee to the Bani Maqan area,” it confirmed. “However, the directorate's efforts and precise coordination resulted in their capture and referral to justice.”

Earlier, the Asayish Directorate announced the dismantling of a "dangerous" ISIS network tied to the so-called "Wilayat Kurdistan.” The operations reportedly targeted multiple areas, including Al-Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Halabja, Rana, Shahrizor, as well as Qaradagh, Sangaw, Zambar, Surdaŝ mountains, and areas near Chamchamal and Taqtaq.

In 2014, ISIS seized vast territories across Iraq and Syria under its then-leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, who declared an Islamic caliphate from the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul, Nineveh’s provincial capital. This so-called caliphate extended across regions with millions of inhabitants.

Although Iraq defeated ISIS territorially by 2017, the group continues to pose a significant threat. ISIS has adapted to its loss by shifting to insurgency tactics, using small, mobile units that carry out attacks from remote, rugged areas, targeting Iraqi security forces, and maintaining a disruptive presence.