SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdish counter-terrorism forces arrested a group of Islamic State (ISIS) militants who planned to carry out attacks in Erbil, the Kurdistan Region’s security council (KRSC) said on Sunday.
The KRSC released confession footage of the suspects who the security council says planned to carry out “terrorist acts” in the city.
“This group has been activated by Daesh general security since January,” the KRSC said, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.
“They were ordered by a Daesh emir known as Abu Harth to carry out terrorist acts inside Erbil city,” it added.
The group planned to plant bombs inside Erbil bazaar and to attack foreign people and security forces, the KRSC said.
It consisted of seven suspects, including two who were under 18 years old, according to the KRSC.
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, authorities said.
Another ISIS suspect was arrested in Erbil who planned to attack the general directorate of counter-terrorism forces in an attempt to free ISIS detainees and create chaos in Erbil, the KRSC said in July.
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 07:00 p.m. EBL time
