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On February 16, the Iraqi Security Cell announced that an officer and two soldiers were killed while taking part in a counter-terrorism operation in the town of Tarmiyah, some 50 kilometers to the north of Baghdad.
In a statement, the cell said that the operation targeted a three-man cell of ISIS that was planning to target Shiite pilgrims who visit the shrine of Imam Musa ibn Ja’far al-Kazim this time of the year.
Two of the terrorist cell’s members were killed by Iraqi troops, while a third committed suicide by detonating an explosive belt he was wearing. The blast killed lieutenant colonel Ammar Noman Salman, commander of the 3rd Regiment of the Baghdad Operations Command’s Commando Brigade, along with two of his soldiers.
The Iraqi Ministry of Defense said that another officer, a first lieutenant, and four soldiers were wounded in the same operation.
ISIS maintains an active presence in Tarmiyah. From there, the terrorist group’s cells launch attacks inside the Iraqi capital on a regular basis.
The operation in Tarmiyah highlights serious counter-terrorism efforts by the Iraqi military, intelligence and security forces. Despite these efforts, ISIS insurgency will not likely end any time soon. The terrorist group will likely continue to operate in the country, even near Baghdad, for the next few years.
