Iraqi forces kill two ‘dangerous terrorists’ north of Salahuddin

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi forces on Wednesday killed two individuals the military media center described as “dangerous terrorists,” in an operation in northernmost part of the country’s Salahuddin Province, close to the provinces of Erbil and Nineveh.

The team was made up of a joint force of Salahuddin’s security apparatus and the Hashd al-Ashayari, or the Tribal Mobilization Forces—Sunni militias affiliated with the Shia Hashd al-Shaabi — the Security Media Cell said in a statement.

The first of the two “dangerous terrorists” held the post of “Security Official” while the second was “Administrative Official for al-Shirqat District.” The unit tracked the individuals to the area’s al-Aitha region of the district.

The statement didn’t label the two alleged terrorists as members of the Islamic State, but the area where the operation took place is close to territory that was previously held by the terrorist group and remains a hideout and hotbed for its sleeper cells.

Islamic State attacks continue to threaten the security of the country in general but the group’s activity and tactics have proved more effective in disputed areas, where a security vacuum has emboldened the group’s insurgency. Iraq claimed victory over the Islamic State in late 2017.

Last week, two improvised explosive devices detonated in separate incidents in Kirkuk Province, killing and injuring four people, including a civilian. The Security Media Cell had then said that one of the attacks targeted a police vehicle, killing one officer and injuring two others. It added that a civilian was killed in another incident.

Editing by Nadia Riva