A senior "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) leader known as the 'executioner' has been arrested in a joint security operation in Kirkuk province, the Iraqi police said Wednesday (November 21st).
"In co-operation with the Counter-Terrorism Service, police forces raided a residential building in western Kirkuk where senior ISIS leader Dhiyaa Nassar was staying," Col. Ali al-Tamimi of Kirkuk police command told Diyaruna.
The building was completely surrounded to prevent the suspect from escaping, he said, before he was arrested.
Nassar "is involved in major terrorist crimes and was hiding using an alias", al-Tamimi said. "However, locals who saw him in the area informed the security forces about his whereabouts."
"Explosives were found in Nassar's possession," he said, noting that "he will be brought to court to answer for the crimes he has committed over the past years".
