Iraq: Terror suspects, six fugitives arrested
Shafaq News/ Iraqi security forces have arrested a 'terrorism' suspect in the capital, the Baghdad Operations Command announced Thursday.
According to the statement, security units, in collaboration with the Anti-Kidnapping Cell of the Intelligence and Security Department, worked alongside other agencies to set up a pre-planned ambush. The suspect, wanted under Article 4/1 (Terrorism), was lured from the Kurdistan Region.
In a separate security operation, forces in Saladin province detained another terrorism suspect in Baiji. Additionally, several individuals facing various criminal charges were arrested in Al-Dhuluiya.
A source from the Saladin police reported that the 12th Emergency Regiment, working with the Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Department, executed an arrest warrant in Baiji. Meanwhile, Al-Dhuluiya police carried out court-issued warrants, detaining six individuals who were transferred to a detention center for further investigation.
Notably, Iraq has intensified its counterterrorism efforts in recent years, targeting militant networks through arrests and executions. In 2024, Iraq executed several individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses, including ten ISIS militants in July and eleven in April.
In August, security forces arrested five individuals linked to a rocket attack on Ain al-Asad airbase, which injured US personnel. In September, 21 more individuals were executed for terrorism offenses at Nasiriyah Central Prison.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
4 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Missile debris falls in northern Iraq amid Israel-Iran escalation
Shafaq News/ Debris from suspected Iranian missiles landed in Iraq's Nineveh and Saladin provinces Sunday, as regional tensions soared following a sharp military exchange between Iran and Israel. Security sources stated that the missile remnants fell in unpopulated areas, causing no casualties or damage but prompting immediate investigations and local alarm. In Nineveh, a security official reported that fragments of a missile struck a remote area in Tal Abta subdistrict, west of Mosul. The projectile landed in Tal Ajjour village, an uninhabited zone, and was discovered by Iraqi security forces. In Saladin, another security source confirmed that parts of an unidentified missile landed on the outskirts of Tuz Khurmatu, east of the province. 'Preliminary assessments indicate the object was part of a long-range missile launched from Iran during the Saturday night strikes targeting Israel,' the source noted. The incident comes amid a severe regional escalation that began with Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities late Friday, which killed several senior IRGC commanders. In response, Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli territory on Saturday night, marking the most dangerous direct confrontation between the two rivals in years.
Shafaq News
7 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Haifa hit: Iran reports direct strikes on key Israeli infrastructure
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iranian media reported that missiles launched from Iran struck oil refineries and the port of Haifa, marking a significant escalation in the confrontation with Israel. According to Tasnim News Agency, Haifa is the primary target of the Iranian operation. Additional Iranian outlets released video footage showing direct impacts on the city's port facilities and oil infrastructure. In response, Israeli authorities instructed residents in northern and central Israel to move to protected shelters and remain there until further notice. Air defense systems were also activated, engaging in real time to intercept the incoming projectiles. Israeli media reported two fatalities and 14 injuries, including one in critical condition, as a result of the strikes. Preliminary accounts also indicated a possible leak of hazardous materials at the Port of Haifa. No official details have emerged regarding the full extent of the damage. The events come less than 48 hours after Israeli warplanes struck nuclear and military facilities inside Iran, killing senior IRGC commanders and top nuclear scientists, and inflicting damage on infrastructure at Natanz and Isfahan.
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Mutual airstrikes escalate Israel–Iran conflict
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the confrontation between Israel and Iran deepened as both sides traded deadly strikes, launched sophisticated drones, and issued fresh threats amid warnings of further escalation. The commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base announced on state television that ten Israeli aircraft had been downed over various parts of the country. State media confirmed the activation of air defense systems in multiple provinces, including Tehran, Hormozgan, Kermanshah, West Azerbaijan, and Lorestan. Explosions were reported in Tehran and Urmia. Fars News Agency reported that Iranian defenses shot down two drones over the capital, while Tasnim News Agency cited the interception of an Israeli UAV near the Natanz nuclear facility by the IRGC's 3rd Khordad system. Meanwhile, Iranian naval forces reportedly intercepted a British destroyer in the Sea of Oman. The United Kingdom has not commented on the claim. On the Israeli side, the military spokesperson confirmed a wave of precision airstrikes targeting dozens of missile launch platforms and underground storage sites for ballistic and cruise missiles in western Iran. "We have penetrated the heart of Iran. Our aircraft are operating in its skies," a spokesperson stated, adding that elite reserve units were deployed to frontlines near Lebanon and Syria. In addition, Fox News quoted an Israeli official as confirming the targeting of a second gas facility near the southern port of Bandar Abbas. The Israeli military also claimed responsibility for destroying nuclear sites recently visited by senior Iranian officials and for killing nine prominent nuclear scientists. According to the Israeli military, the opening wave of strikes also killed over 20 senior military commanders, including the head of Iranian Armed Forces intelligence and the IRGC's surface-to-surface missile division. In Hamedan province, an Israeli drone strike reportedly killed the head of public security police and another officer in the city of Asadabad, local authorities reported. In northwestern Iran, a large explosion hit the Imam Mahdi Base in Urmia. Tasnim cited eyewitnesses who described widespread damage, while the Iranian Red Crescent confirmed two medics were killed in an Israeli strike on relief teams responding to the blast. Initial assessments indicated severe damage to the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities, with repairs expected to take weeks. Despite the scale of the assault, The Times of Israel reported that Israeli air operations are still underway as part of a broader strategy to degrade Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. Officials stated that Israeli fighter jets are now flying over Tehran—a development described as a 'strategic turning point.' Iran vows intensified response Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of stronger retaliation if Israeli operations persist. 'If the Zionist entity dares to repeat its aggression, it will face a stronger and harsher response from our armed forces,' he said, adding that Iran had managed to shoot down 'equipment claimed to be undetectable.' Separately, Iran's state broadcaster reported that a new wave of "destructive and intense" attacks on Israel would be launched within hours. In a related statement, Pezeshkian declared that Iran would no longer engage in nuclear negotiations if Israeli attacks continued. Iran's drone retaliation In response to Israel's Operation Rising Lion, Iran initiated its own offensive under the framework of Truthful Promise 3, deploying a barrage of unmanned aerial vehicles. The campaign included Shahed-129 and Shahed-136 drones, two of the most sophisticated platforms in Iran's drone arsenal. The Shahed-129, modeled after the U.S. MQ-1 Predator, is capable of flying up to 24 hours and covering 1,700 kilometers, armed with four Sadid-guided missiles. Its advanced imaging and communications systems allow it to operate effectively in electronically contested environments. The Shahed-136, a one-way loitering munition or 'kamikaze drone,' is designed to detonate upon impact. Despite its simplicity, it poses a major challenge to air defenses when launched in large swarms due to its low radar signature and low-altitude flight.
