A senior Islamic State military commander was arrested in Mosul, Iraq’s military intelligence service said on Monday as security forces continue to hunt for remnant militants in hiding at the recaptured city.
The service said the arrested militant was Islamic State’s military area commander for eastern Mosul, but gave no details yet of his identity. Ten other subordinate members were also arrested with him.
Since the Iraqi government declared early July the recapture of Mosul, Islamic State’s former capital in Iraq, police forces have been combing the western side of the city for sleeper militant cells and munition hiding places. The militants have also launched a few sporadic attacks against troops and civilians since the declaration.
The Iraqi government intends to aim at other Islamic State havens in Anbar, Kirkuk and Salahuddin once it is done with retaking Tal Afar, Islamic State’s last stronghold in Nineveh which the Defense Ministry had completed preparations for invading. The Defense Ministry said recently it was waiting for orders to launch operations for the enclave. So far, operations by pro-government militias, the Popular Mobilization, have isolated the town from Mosul and from the Syrian borders, and retook several surrounding villages.