Wanted by Iraqi courts

Asayish announces arrest of five suspected ISIS militants in Sulaymaniyah

SULAYMANIYAH — The Kurdistan Region’s Asayish security forces have announced the arrest of five individuals they allege are ISIS militants in three separate operations on the outskirts of Sulaymaniyah.

A statement from the General Directorate of Asayish Operations detailed that the arrests occurred between Jan. 19 and Jan. 23, 2025, in coordination with Iraq’s National Security Service. The operations were conducted based on intelligence reports and warrants issued by the Asayish investigative judge.

“After surveillance, intelligence gathering, and data analysis, the locations of the terrorists were identified, and five ISIS militants were arrested on the outskirts of Sulaymaniyah,” the statement read. The detainees were identified by their initials as S.T.A., W.A.R., S.S.S., M.A.H., and K.B.A., and are reportedly wanted by Iraqi courts.

The statement further claimed that the individuals had previously attended religious and military training courses and had relocated to Sulaymaniyah to evade authorities.

The suspects were arrested under Article 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Law and have been referred to the judiciary. Authorities stated that investigations into their cases are ongoing.

In recent weeks, similar operations have been conducted in Sulaymaniyah governorate. On Jan. 24, 2025, the Counter-Terrorism Service announced the arrest of a suspected terrorist in the region. Earlier, on Jan. 9, 2025, the Counter-Terrorism Group confirmed the arrest of several suspected ISIS-affiliated individuals during a planned operation in the Sharazur area of Sulaymaniyah.

The Islamic State emerged in 2014, seizing control of major cities such as Mosul and Tikrit while declaring a self-proclaimed “caliphate.” Known for extreme violence and targeting minority groups, the group was militarily defeated in Iraq by 2017 through operations led by Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and a U.S.-led coalition. However, ISIS remnants continue to operate as an insurgent force, conducting periodic attacks from remote areas.

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