The police chief of Kirkuk province in Iraq, Major General Kawa Gharib, stated that a cell affiliated with ISIS, involved in the explosion incident at the Banja Ali market in Kirkuk city, has been captured. Gharib mentioned that the members of the cell were arrested in Hawija and Mount Bur, and they confessed to the crimes they committed. He noted that this cell carried out an attack last night on police forces, injuring one of them.
Earlier today, the Kirkuk province police announced the capture of the cell that attempted to plant an explosive device in the Banja Ali area, including a prominent ISIS leader. A statement from the Kirkuk police leadership said, "On the first day of Eid al-Fitr, we announce the arrest of the terrorist cell that attempted to plant an explosive device in the Banja Ali area and attacked one of the Kirkuk police heroes."
The statement highlighted that "after investigation, under the supervision of the advanced command and the Kirkuk police leadership, a qualitative operation was carried out with the efforts of the National Security Service, the Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Directorate of Kirkuk, and the storming company belonging to the police chief's office, leading to the identification of the terrorists." It emphasized that "among those arrested was a prominent leader of ISIS gangs, and they were found in possession of all the instruments used in carrying out their terrorist operations, including weapons and various types of equipment, and they confessed to executing several operations."
