JOC: Iraqi Air Force strikes ISIS hideout in Saladin province
Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Iraqi Air Force conducted an airstrike on an ISIS hideout in eastern Saladin province.
According to a statement from the Joint Operations Command’s (JOC) Security Media Cell, the strike followed an intensive, four-day monitoring operation. “The diligent technical work and accurate intelligence from the Directorate of Military Intelligence identified the exact location and movements of a four-member terrorist cell operating from a hideout in the Balkana area, eastern Saladin.”
The statement noted that, after verifying and analyzing the intelligence, JOC’s targeting cell coordinated the airstrike. “At 17:50, Iraqi F-16 fighter jets carried out a precise strike, reducing the hideout to rubble and eliminating the terrorists inside.” According to the intelligence, the site also contained weapons, explosives, and various logistical and technical supplies.
In 2024, Iraqi forces intensified their operations against ISIS, resulting in the arrest and killing of dozens, including prominent leaders.
Despite its territorial defeat in 2017, ISIS maintains a significant presence in Iraq through sleeper cells that engage in guerrilla warfare, assassinations, kidnappings, and extortion to destabilize the region.
