Security forces in Ninawa province have arrested "10 dangerous elements" who belong to the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) during security raids in the city of Mosul, Ninawa police announced Thursday (September 27th).

"Police forces have over the last three days launched large-scale raids in search of ISIS elements hiding in Mosul, based on residents’ tip-offs and intelligence information," said Ninawa police media director Lt. Col. Mazen al-Ahmadi.

"The 12th Brigade of the Ninawa police emergency force arrested (on September 24th) eight wanted ISIS members in the neighbourhoods of al-Qadisiya, Somar and al-Zahraa in eastern Mosul," he told Diyaruna.

"The detainees are dangerous terrorist elements who include fighters from the al-Jund diwan (office of ISIS soldiers' affairs), and from the security and al-hesba (religious police) diwans, some of the main and most important formations in the ISIS structure," he said.

The Ninawa police’s 3rd battalion on Wednesday arrested an ISIS element in Somar who had been detained in Badoush prison and released by ISIS after it invaded Mosul in June 2014, al-Ahmadi said.

The detainee worked in ISIS's "security diwan" and had with him, at the time of his arrest, films and photos of terrorist operations.

"He was involved in killing a citizen in al-Qayyarah, according to another citizen’s testimony," al-Ahmadi said.

Security and intelligence forces also have arrested "a suspect with an arrest warrant against him on terrorism charges", he added.

The detainee owns a money exchange office in Mosul, and at the time of his arrest, he was "transferring money abroad, contrary to laws and regulations", he said.

Co-operation 'key' to enhanced security

"The campaigns to track down wanted ISIS elements are carried out in co-ordination between us and the other security and intelligence services," al-Ahmadi said.

"Everyone is making huge and relentless efforts to track down sleeper terrorist cells and ISIS remnants, whether in Mosul or in the rest of Ninawa," he said.

"Our co-operation with the local people is growing and they are today a key element in our efforts to impose security and combat terrorism," he said.

Thanks to that co-operation, security forces have arrested more than 2,000 people wanted for terrorism charges this year alone, and uncovered hideouts and stores of weapons and equipment, he said.

Security forces on Wednesday defused explosives at four booby-trapped houses, destroyed 18 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and seized 250 mortar shells during searches in the areas of al-Thawra, Umm Dhiban, Tal al-Sheikh, al-Risala complexes, al-Hamdaniya and al-Jughaifi in Ninawa.