Iraq targets ISIS hideouts in Saladin and Diyala under Fourth Deterrence

Shafaq News- Saladin/ Diyala

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) launched a multi-day security operation dubbed “Fourth Deterrence” targeting ISIS hideouts in Saladin and Diyala provinces, the force announced on Sunday.

According to a statement, field operations concentrated on Mutaybija, Hawi al-Azim, and Jazirat al-Aith —areas the PMF described as key ISIS sanctuaries hosting administrative, security, and military leadership, as well as centers for planning operations and managing logistical support.

As part of the campaign, PMF units raided the so-called Aisha Camp south of Lake Hamrin, an area the force said ISIS used to move between cells while relying on rugged terrain for concealment.

The PMF noted that the operation, which resulted in the destruction of hideouts and the seizure of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and logistical equipment, aimed to disrupt ISIS networks seeking to target security forces and civilians and to restrict support, financing, and supply lines across Saladin, Diyala, and Kirkuk.

Although ISIS lost territorial control in Iraq in 2017, it continues to operate as an insurgent network in desert and rural areas, including Diyala, Kirkuk, Saladin, and Al-Anbar. In January, the Counter Terrorism Service launched what sources described as a large-scale operation in Saladin’s Hamrin mountain range, and captured a senior ISIS figure linked to the group’s so-called “Bayt al-Mal” (treasury).

Read more: On ISIS defeat anniversary, Iraq confronts a reawakening insurgency