The Iraqi Ministry of Defence on Monday (April 23rd) dismissed the threats made by the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) to attack Iraqi polling stations and voters during parliamentary elections next month as "empty threats".

"These are just empty threats made by a loser," said ministry spokesman Gen. Yahya Rasul.

In a message posted on social media sites on Sunday, ISIS spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir called on Sunni Iraqis to boycott the May 12th polls, the first since Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi declared victory over the extremist group in December.

"The voting centres and those in them are targets for our swords, so stay away from them and do not walk nearby," he said.

Rasul told Diyaruna Iraqi forces have been drawing up plans to secure polling stations and voters.

The army, police, intelligence and national security forces are conducting round-the-clock pre-emptive operations to crack down on any remaining ISIS cells anywhere in Iraq, he said.

"We are dealing with a terrorist enemy that does not pay regard to anything, but we reassure the Iraqi people that our forces are making great efforts to fully secure polling stations," he said.

ISIS's latest threat "is just a desperate attempt to mobilise its elements, but we always deal with such threats seriously", he said.

"The poll will be successful, and the Iraqi people ... can choose whomever they want without any fear from ISIS threats," he said.