Expert: Iraq vulnerable to major security breach
As Iraq's security forces have weakened and violence has increased, observers question whether the country could handle a possible resurgence of terrorists.
A recent spate of attacks in Iraq killed dozens of civilians and wounded many more as officials fear terrorist groups may be gaining ground once again.
In the latest news, a bomb-laden car exploded Oct. 13 in the center of Kirkuk, wounding eight people. This came on the heels of a week filled with bombings, including ones in Baghdad, Salahuddin and Anbar provinces. Baghdad was dealt the heaviest blow, as a series of bombings targeted the capital Oct. 7. Fallujah faced a terrorist bombing on Oct. 6, after a long period of stability there since Iraqi forces liberated it from the Islamic State (IS) in 2016.
The government is trying to control the security situation. The Ministerial Council for National Security, headed by outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, convened Oct. 7 and 14 to discuss the security situation and intelligence efforts to pursue terrorist cells.
IS posted a propaganda video Oct. 11 called Hasad al-Ajnad (Harvest of Soldiers) in which it claimed it had carried out 55 operations in Iraq since Oct. 4, though the claim hasn't been verified.
