Iraq caught between ISIS resurgence rumors and army’s denials

Indiana Khaled

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants are apparently using the preoccupation of Iraqi authorities with the fight against the coronavirus in stepping up their attacks.

ISIS has been increasing its attacks inside what is known as the “Death Triangle,” which includes Diyala, Kirkuk and Saladin, since mid-May.

This stirs up speculation on whether the terrorist organization is undergoing a revival on the Iraqi stage.

According to Iraqi security sources, ISIS staged an attack in the southern part of Saladin late on Friday. The attack left two policemen dead and three others injured, they said.

The attack followed another, in which four members of the paramilitary group Popular Mobilization Forces were killed and six others injured in the northern part of Diyala.

Attacks and retreats

ISIS militants succeeded in overrunning a village in Diyala late on Thursday, according to Iraqi security sources.

ISIS militants also set the city’s homes and farms on fire.

Before overrunning the village, ISIS snipers shot and wounded three of its residents. One of them succumbed to his wounds before being admitting into the hospital.

However, the Iraqi army command said ISIS had not controlled the village. It said news about the terrorist organization controlling the village came as it staged a series of attacks in a number of Iraqi cities, including Iraqi capital Baghdad.

Empowering the military

The ISIS resurgence comes at a time the Iraqi government is taking measures to empower military institutions, following a series of setbacks.

These setbacks were primarily induced by rampant corruption inside these institutions.

The same corruption opened the door for the collapse of the Iraqi army in 2014.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi returned the former commander of the counterterrorism force, Abdel Wahab al-Saadi, to his post, months after he was assigned an administrative job.

The new prime minister also initiated a series of changes inside the Iraqi security establishment.