Iraqi security forces arrest senior IS militant

The Iraqi security forces detained the former chief of the so-called "Islamic Police" in Mosul affiliated with the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, the Iraqi military said on Sunday.

Based on intelligence reports and continuous tracking, the security forces spotted the terrorist nicknamed Abu Saqr in Mosul, the capital of the northern province of Nineveh, following his entry into Iraqi territory, and arrested him, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

The arrested terrorist had been carrying counterfeit identity documents since his entry into Iraq, according to the statement. It noted that he served as the head of the "Islamic Police" in Mosul when the city was occupied by the IS group.

An officer from Nineveh Operations Command, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that the arrested terrorist was behind dozens of arrests and killings that targeted members of the security forces and civilians, stressing that he was among the most wanted by the security forces.

In July 2017, Iraq declared the liberation of Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad, from the IS, which took control of the city in 2014.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have sneaked into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.