CTG Arrests Wanted ISIS Suspect in Sulaymaniyah

PUKMEDIA

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The Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG) has announced the arrest of a wanted suspected member of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Bazian sub-district of Sulaymaniyah, following a detailed intelligence operation.

According to a statement, the arrest was carried out based on detailed intelligence information and after an intensive investigation, with judicial authorisation obtained from the relevant judge.

The suspect, identified as Abdul Moemin Ahmad Salih al-Rafi’i, allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2015 in the Qayyarah sub-district of Mosul.

After completing a religious training course, he reportedly worked in the organisation’s support department and took part in several battles against the Iraqi army and security forces in Saladin province.

Following ISIS’s defeat, al-Rafi’i fled to Syria, where he settled in al-Hawl camp. A year later, he returned to Iraq and stayed at Haj Ali camp in Mosul before moving to the Kurdistan Region and settling in Bazian.

The CTG said that following his arrest, the suspect was handed over to the relevant authorities to face legal proceedings.

ISIS captured large parts of Iraq in 2014 and declared a self-styled “caliphate,” leading to widespread violence and mass displacement. Although Iraq declared victory over the group in 2017, ISIS remnants remain active, particularly in disputed territories between the federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government.

These areas—including parts of Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala, and Saladin provinces—continue to face threats from ISIS elements who engage in ambushes, kidnappings, and extortion targeting both civilians and security personnel.

Iraqi and Kurdish security forces regularly carry out joint operations aimed at eradicating these remaining terrorist networks.



PUKMEDIA