Has Islamic State returned to Iraq?
Despite Iraq’s declaration of victory against the Islamic State in 2017, IS sleeper cells have recently become active across the country.
Iraqi security forces killed five suicide attackers northwest of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul Feb. 20. A car bomb in central Mosul killed one civilian and wounded 13 others Feb. 28, just the latest in many recent incidents that have also hit the southern and western parts of the country.
A group of Islamic State fighters entered Haditha province in Anbar governorate on the evening of Feb. 23 and crossed Lake Tharthar in private boats. In Najaf governorate, they came upon six fishermen sleeping in a tent and opened fire, killing them all.
On the same day, an IS group armed with explosive belts and machine guns attacked the village of Anamel in al-Shirqat, Saladin governorate. The residents along with the Federal Police and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) fought back.
Since the second half of last January up until the last 10 days of February, IS has carried out several operations in the west of Iraq and Saladin governorate. All the operations were in the desert and directed against civilians. Some of the civilians were attacked as they harvested desert truffles.
