Baghdad rejects US concerns, says ISIS weak in Iraq
By Abdulsalam Khoja
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Iraqi military said on Saturday that the Islamic State (ISIS) no longer poses a significant threat inside Iraq, responding to concerns raised earlier by the US Embassy in Baghdad.
Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, stated, “ISIS gangs do not constitute a real threat to Iraq. Our security forces are capable and fully prepared to deal with any security developments. We continue daily operations and intelligence tracking against terrorist elements wherever they are found.”
His remarks followed a statement from the US Embassy in Baghdad, published on its official account on X, which expressed concern over “the continued operations and regional expansion of ISIS in Iraq and the Levant, as well as al-Qaeda.”
The embassy emphasized that “the United States continues to prioritize partnerships with allies and regional actors in counterterrorism.”
In response, al-Numan stressed that Iraq’s borders are fully secure and that regional developments do not directly affect the country’s stability. “International concerns about ISIS are not related to the Iraqi situation. The group by its nature poses a regional and international risk and exists in several countries. In Iraq, however, the organization is crippled and suffers continuous strikes from our security forces, who are well-equipped, numerous, and highly motivated,” he said.
Earlier on Saturday, the Iraqi army announced it had carried out an airstrike against ISIS hideouts in Salah al-Din province, north of Baghdad, killing militants and destroying weapons and equipment.
Similar to Iraq’s counterterrorism campaign, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria continue coordinated security operations with international support to dismantle ISIS sleeper cells and prevent the group from reorganizing across borders.
The Iraqi government has maintained that its forces, supported by intelligence operations, continue to neutralize ISIS remnants and prevent the group from regaining operational capacity inside the country.