Federal agency arrests terrorism suspect in Erbil in joint operation with Kurdish forces

ERBIL — Iraq’s Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency said Thursday it had arrested a “dangerous” terrorism suspect in Erbil in an operation coordinated with Kurdistan Region security authorities.

The suspect was wanted under Article 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which carries the death penalty, for several past attacks, the agency said. Its Federal Police intelligence units located him through intelligence work and technical surveillance, and seized foreign currency, passports and several bank cards. The statement did not name the suspect, say which group he belonged to or give details of the attacks.

Two Iraqi soldiers were killed and two wounded on Sunday when an explosive device left by the Islamic State group went off during a search operation in the desert north of the Anbar town of Rawa, the Defence Ministry said, days after the U.S.-led coalition’s mission ended.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi formally declared the end of the coalition’s mission on Sept. 30, saying Iraq now takes full responsibility for its security, and the last U.S. and coalition forces left Erbil Air Base that day. He has since ordered higher readiness and stepped-up intelligence work across the security forces, said Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the commander-in-chief. “After 12 years of joint work to confront terrorism, the need for the international coalition forces to remain has ended, beginning a new phase of bilateral cooperation between Iraq and coalition countries on the basis of mutual respect,” Numan said. Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed said last month that Iraqi and Kurdistan Region forces “can be relied upon to fill that vacuum” and urged Baghdad to build bilateral ties with coalition members.

The Islamic State group seized large parts of northern and western Iraq in 2014 and was territorially defeated in 2017, and has since operated through sleeper cells and small units, particularly in desert and rural areas.