SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdish counter-terrorism forces detained two Islamic State (ISIS) arms smugglers in Erbil on Thursday, U.S-led Coalition force said.
“Today the CTD conducted operations in the Al Zaytun area of Erbil, Iraq which resulted in the capture of two #Daesh arms smugglers,” Special Operation Joint Task Force-Levant said in a tweet.
“These operations deny Daesh the ability to smuggle, store and transport weapons.”
Earlier this month, the security forces detained an ISIS leader and a group of militants in Halabja province, according to the security forces and Coalition forces.
Kurdish counter-terrorism forces arrested two “terrorists” in the Kurdistan Region, the counter-terrorism directorate said on December 2. They confessed that they were involved in “several terrorist acts” in Kirkuk and Hamrin mountains, it added.
In September, the Kurdish forces detained a group of seven ISIS militants in Erbil, planning to carry out “terrorist acts” in the city.
In July, the security forces also detained a group of ISIS militants including five suspects who planned to attack the Erbil governorate’s building and places where foreign nationals stay.
The federal government announced victory over ISIS by the end of 2017 after Iraqi and Kurdish forces backed by U.S.-led Coalition regained control of areas once captured by the militant group.
Despite its defeat, ISIS still poses a threat to the security and stability of the country as there are still sleeper cells in Iraq.
*This story was updated at 11:49 p.m. EBL time
