Two suspected ISIS members arrested in Chamchamal district

CHAMCHAMAL — The Sulaymaniyah Security Directorate announced on Tuesday, the arrest of two suspected members of the Islamic State terror group during an operation conducted the previous night based on intelligence information. The arrests took place in the Bani Maqan area within Chamchamal, Sulaymaniyah.

The arrested individuals were wanted under Article 4 of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Law. According to the statement, both were active members of ISIS and had participated in several terrorist operations in the past. They were arrested by the Iraq’s security forces.

The Directorate stated that the individuals had entered the Bani Maqan area with the intention of evading capture. However, they were apprehended and will face legal proceedings in Iraqi courts.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as Daesh in Arabic, has been responsible for extensive violence, human rights violations, and acts of genocide in Iraq and Syria. Rising in 2014 as a successor to Al-Qaeda in Iraq, ISIS seized large areas of territory, including cities such as Mosul, Tikrit, and Fallujah.

Despite declaring military victory over the Islamic State in December 2017, Iraq continues to confront the persistent threat posed by remnants of the group. Although significantly weakened, ISIS has maintained a clandestine insurgency, executing sporadic attacks and sustaining sleeper cells across various regions.

In response, Iraq has intensified its efforts against the group, eliminating more than 100 militants, including high-ranking leaders, in 2024.