Islamic State member in charge of mass executions arrested in Mosul: Police
Iraqi security forces arrest a suspected fighter with the Islamic State group during a military operation.
In press remarks, Ahmed al-Obeidi, spokesperson for Nineveh police department, said “Iraqi troops managed to arrest Islamic State member, who was in charge of carrying out executions, called Abu Saif al-Hilaly, in al-Rashidiya region, northwest of Mosul, as he was along with his son Dhebian al-Hilaly.”
Hilaly is a prominent member, who was known for implementing mass executions within the so-called Nineveh State. He carried out tens of executions since Mosul city was captured by the militant group in 2014.
Last week, news reports quoted sources as saying that seven Islamic State members were arrested after being besieged in al-Maa’sh market in Mosul.
Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.
In December, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced gaining control on all the territories that were captured by Islamic State, since 2014. However, the group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.