Iraq announced on Friday arresting five top ISIS leaders, one of which suspected to be one of ISIS-founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s aides. The captures are a tight move against the terrorist organization’s leader.
In a statement, Iraqi authorities listed the names of those captured.
Saddam Hussein Hussein al-Jamal, dubbed Abu Rukaya al-Ansari, believed to handle security for ISIS’ self-proclaimed Euphrates caliphate and commander of the terror group’s eastern brigade was among those arrested.
Mohammed Hussein Hadar, Issam Abdul Qader Ashour al-Zobaie, Omar Shahab Hammad Karbouli were also arrested.
Ismail al-Eithawi, who also uses the alias Abu Zaid al-Iraqi, was captured in February in Turkey by Turkish authorities and handed over to Iraqi agents, Iraqi security advisor Hisham al-Hashimi told Reuters on Thursday. Authorities explained that these were arrested inside Syrian territory bordering Iraq.
More so, interrogating the five bigshot ISIS leaders revealed information which proved helpful and was the cornerstone of a military air strike which took out no less than 40 ISIS leaders.
“This operation launched with leads shared by Turkey, where another ISIS senior commander, Eithawi, was arrested,” Iraqi Government Security Adviser Dr. Hisham al-Hashemi told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Eithawi’s phone was used to contact the other four leaders through Telegram.
Following Eithawi’s capture, Iraqi and American intelligence agents were able to uncover bank accounts used by the group and also secret communication codes Eithawi used, Hashimi said.
They then used the app on the mobile phone to lure the other men across the Syrian border and into Iraq where they were arrested. This qualitative operation uncovered crucial details on Baghdadi, such as possible whereabouts.
“Iraqi and US authorities used to believe Baghdadi could be located in one eight areas, but now it is narrowed down to one of two areas only ", Hashemi said.
However, the security official refused sharing any further details.
The arrests were the culmination of elaborate US-Iraqi joint intelligence operations. The ISIS commanders’ confessions were broadcast on Iraqi television Thursday morning.
One by one the men admitted to being top ISIS leaders.
On the other hand, US officials say ISIS leadership has been decimated but they believe Baghdadi is still operating on the border between Syria and Iraq.
