On Saturday, according to a security officer, Iraqi security forces launched a military operation to pursue Daesh/ISIS militants in the northern Salahuddin province.
The officer in question said, on condition of anonymity, that the operation, in which the pro-government Hashd al-Shaabi militia is taking part, aims to hunt down Daesh/ISIS terrorists in the areas of the Makhoul Mountain, north of Salahuddin.
The officer added that the military operation is meant to “prevent any attempts by Daesh/ISIS members to restore their activity in the Jubailah region.”
The area near the Makhoul Mountain, a stronghold for Daesh/ISIS militants, came under attack by rocket-propelled grenades last week, in which no material damage or human loss were reported.
By reclaiming all its territories in 2017 from the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014, which is estimated to be about a third of the country’s territory, Iraq declared victory over Deash/ISIS.
However, the group still maintains sleeper cells in large areas in Iraq and occasionally launches sporadic attacks.
