SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Iraqi military carried out two pre-emptive operations against Islamic State (ISIS) in Kirkuk and Basra, the ministry of defense said on Tuesday.
In a statement, the defense ministry said units of the Iraqi army detained five wanted persons and seized weapons and ammunition during the operation in Basra.
The Iraqi forces also carried a separate operation to search and pursue ISIS remnants in the villages of al-Salab and Ghayb Falah in Kirkuk province.
Recently, the Iraqi forces have increased anti-ISIS operations in Kirkuk, Baghdad, Anbar, Saladin and Diyala provinces.
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.
