Iraq determines to eliminate terrorism: Haidar Abadi

CAIRO – 26 June 2018: Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Abadi stressed that Iraq will definitely remain strong despite the crises it encounters. He asserted snap procedures will be taken to eliminate remnants of terrorist cells in the country.

"Abadi led an urgent meeting for high-profile security and military officials; they tackled the current security developments in the country, plans to secure roads and intelligence efforts to eliminate terrorist groups remaining in Iraq," said a statement issued by Abadi's office on Monday.

According to the statement, Abadi manifested that the security forces had succeeded to target and hunt down plenty of terrorists inside the Syrian territory; the matter that forced the terrorists to carry out random criminal acts against civilians.

In cooperation with local security forces, the Iraqi government intensified efforts to expel militants in areas of Diyala Governorate.

Iraqi Federal Police led an operation against ISIS in mid-June, capturing four elements and burning three hideouts, the Ministry of Interior stated earlier.

Weeks ago, ISIS intensified bombings and assassinations in Iraq in general, and in the disputed areas between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region in particular.

ISIS gave the Iraqi government a three-day ultimatum to release female prisoners; otherwise the six men, allegedly Iraqi security and militiamen, in the video the extremists released, will be executed.

The PM's spokesperson announced Iraq would not yield to ISIS demands to release female prisoners detained as part of operations to clear the country from the terrorist group.

“The Iraqi government will use the law against criminals and will not capitulate to terrorist’s demands,” Iraqi prime minister’s spokesperson, Saad al-Hadithi, told al-Mada newspaper on Monday.

Brigadier-General Yahya Rasool, a spokesperson for the Iraqi army’s Joint Operations Command (JOC), said they are working on finding the location of the hostages showed in the video.