By Anas al-Bar | 2025-10-15

Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) continues to tighten its grip on the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS), systematically targeting its fighters and strongholds.

Recent operations demonstrate the agency’s capability to establish and maintain stability while denying terrorists any safe haven.

On October 9, a surprise Iraqi Air Force strike killed three ISIS fighters after a hideout in Kirkuk province’s Wadi al-Shai area was discovered and destroyed.

This comes amid broader CTS operations that track ISIS elements fleeing into valleys and mountainous regions to evade security forces.

Earlier, on October 5, six hideouts in the mountainous Makhmur region were eliminated during a series of surveillance and ambush missions.

During these operations, CTS arrested one of ISIS’s leaders in Kirkuk, according to an official statement.

The individual served as "commander of a detachment in Wilayat Fallujah (Fallujah province) and also operated in Wilayat Salah al-Din (Salah al-Din province)."

The success of these operations underscores CTS’s competence in pursuing extremist groups and maintaining Iraq’s security.

"The CTS is closing in on ISIS elements with an iron fist, denying them any opportunity to recover or resume their activities," counter-terrorism expert Fadel Abu Raghif told Al-Fassel.

"The Service is highly effective and capable of tracking the movements of ISIS detachments," he said, adding, "it targets them in the highlands and valleys extending from Ninawa to Kirkuk, Salah al-Din, and Diyala."

The ongoing operations send a clear message: terrorist groups in Iraq are being pursued relentlessly, and the nation’s counter-terrorism forces are prepared to maintain stability and protect communities from extremist threats.

Eliminating terrorist leaders

CTS’s continued success in degrading ISIS leadership has reinforced the resilience and determination of Iraq’s counter-terrorism forces.

Their operations combine precise intelligence gathering with targeted strikes to dismantle networks and eliminate key figures.

CTS’s recent achievements include eliminating ISIS leaders, and arresting a large number of its elements, said security expert Sarmad al-Bayati.

Al-Bayati highlighted the agency’s collaboration with international coalition forces, providing "information and support to eliminate senior terrorists present on Syrian soil."

Over the past two months, more than six ISIS leaders have been killed across Iraq and Syria, including Omar Abdul Qader, eliminated on September 19 during a joint operation with coalition forces in Syria.

These coordinated efforts demonstrate that Iraqi counter-terrorism forces are capable of securing the country from terrorist activity, ensuring that ISIS has nowhere to hide.

By degrading the group’s leadership and fracturing its ranks, CTS is not only disrupting immediate threats but also building lasting momentum in the fight against extremism.