Iraqi forces arrested 12 "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) elements in a large-scale surprise operation in western Mosul, Ninawa Operations Command said Thursday (May 31st).
They were arrested for numerous ISIS-related crimes committed over a period of years, Ninawa Operations Commander Nejim Edin Karim al-Jubury told Diyaruna.
The defendants had been in hiding, he said, "but were finally arrested in the operation, which was carried out based on an intelligence tip-off in western Mosul".
Six explosive vests, two locally-made grenades, 11 rifles and five improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were also seized in the operation, he said.
Citizen co-operation with security forces has helped significantly in the dismantling of ISIS cells in Mosul, Al-Jubury added.
