Iraqi National Intelligence Service Foils ISIS Funding Network
The INIS confirmed that the network was dismantled in an extraordinary operation supervised by the Iraqi Judicial Council. The operation uncovered individuals engaged in funding ISIS activities and facilitating the movement of fighters across borders.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – On Monday, the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) announced the arrest of a network responsible for financing ISIS and plotting terrorist operations, including attacks in European countries and against Iraqi interests abroad.
In a statement, the INIS confirmed that the network was dismantled in an extraordinary operation supervised by the Iraqi Judicial Council. The operation uncovered individuals engaged in funding ISIS activities and facilitating the movement of fighters across borders.
According to the intelligence service, the breakthrough followed months of investigation, building on efforts launched in 2023 by the Kirkuk Intelligence and Information Directorate to track down an ISIS-linked financing cell.
The INIS highlighted that this network was not only providing financial lifelines to the extremist group but also coordinating plans for large-scale terrorist attacks outside Iraq.
Although ISIS was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, the group remains a persistent security threat. Its sleeper cells continue to launch sporadic attacks in rural areas, particularly in Kirkuk, Diyala, and Salahaddin provinces. The group has also shifted its strategy toward clandestine financing and international operations, seeking to destabilize both Iraq and countries abroad.
Maj. Gen. Abdul Khaliq Talaat, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) representative to the Joint Forces Command, warned on June 30 that ISIS activity is on the rise across central and northern Iraq, citing fresh intelligence and ongoing operations.
Speaking to Kurdistan24, Talaat stated, “ISIS activity has intensified over the past week, particularly in areas like Khurmatu, Daquq, and the surroundings of Kirkuk.” He further revealed that earlier the same day, several ISIS militants were arrested in Anbar province. “ISIS has not been eradicated; its movements have increased,” he added.
Read More: ISIS Activity Intensifies Across Central Iraq, Says KRG Representative
The resurgence of ISIS activity highlights the ongoing challenges in maintaining security and stability in Iraq. Despite territorial losses, the group's ability to adapt and exploit vulnerabilities in rural areas underscores the need for continued vigilance and coordinated efforts by Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
