Latest news with #Counter-TerrorismService
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Shafaq News
Explosive-laden drone downed near Erbil Airport
Shafaq News – Erbil A booby-trapped drone was downed near Erbil International Airport with no reported casualties or damage, the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) in the Kurdistan Region confirmed on Monday. Local sources and eyewitnesses had earlier reported multiple explosions near the airport and the activation of warning sirens inside the US consulate compound. According to the sources, the consulate's C-RAM (Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar) defense system and other aerial defenses deployed around the airport responded to an unidentified flying object seen approaching the area. The system reportedly succeeded in intercepting and destroying the drone midair. As of this report, neither the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) nor the US-led Global Coalition has issued an official statement identifying the origin or nature of the drone. similar attacks involving drones and rockets.
Shafaq News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq faces fractured path to reintegration of al-Hol families
Shafaq News - Saladin/Nineveh Iraq's attempt to reintegrate families returning from Syria's notorious al-Hol displacement camp has triggered deep societal unease, rekindling old wounds and exposing unresolved tribal feuds. While the government moves forward with security and reintegration plans, local leaders, activists, and residents warn that the process risks fueling a new cycle of radicalization if not handled with greater care and community engagement. On Friday, Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Ministry of Migration and Displacement to coordinate the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from Syrian displacement camps. The agreement reflects Baghdad's commitment to resolving the long-running displacement crisis—yet it also raises difficult questions about justice, reconciliation, and long-term security. 'In many areas, blood still stains the ground—families who suffered under ISIS remember everything,' observed Sultan al-Jubouri, a tribal elder in Saladin province. Some families returning from al-Hol or Iraq's al-Jadaa camp, he noted, are still seen locally as complicit in past atrocities. 'These are not easy decisions. Victims remain and vengeance still governs tribal memory. Reintegration cannot just mean returning people to their homes. It requires real rehabilitation, social mediation, and oversight—by both the state and tribal authorities.' Without structured reconciliation mechanisms, he warned, thousands of families may remain trapped in isolation, fueling resentment among youth and increasing the risk of renewed extremism. In Nineveh's Tal Afar district, resident Abbas al-Mousawi raised concerns about reintegrating families with ideological or familial links to ISIS. Allowing them to return to civilian areas without strict oversight, he argued, poses a serious security threat. As a solution, he proposed establishing dedicated reintegration centers—secure and closely monitored facilities where returnees would undergo psychological, religious, and educational rehabilitation before rejoining broader society. Many among the returnees, he added, include women and children with foreign fathers who died fighting for ISIS. These cases, in his view, are especially vulnerable to marginalization or radicalization. 'Without structured containment, they are ticking time bombs.' Fakhr al-Din Ahmad, a rehabilitation specialist who has worked extensively with ISIS-affiliated families, explained that the line between victim and perpetrator is often blurred. Many women and children, he noted, were indoctrinated or forcibly raised in extremist environments. Although they are victims in many respects, community members rarely view them that way. 'Even those who had no role in violence face rejection, collective blame, and social stigma. This isolation breeds anger—and possibly revenge.' International organizations are working to address the issue, he said, but their efforts require stronger government support and meaningful cooperation from local tribes. In Diyala, displaced Iraqi Samir Abdullah described communities fractured by trauma and tension. Tens of thousands of families, he said, remain unable to return to their homes due to fears of retaliation and unresolved tribal grievances. In many cases, individuals directly linked to ISIS are unable to return, leaving their families to attempt reintegration on their behalf—often provoking fresh tensions. 'The memory of violence is still fresh. The wounds haven't healed. Reintegrating families without a roadmap risks reopening those wounds.' For Hossam Ahmad, a religious scholar focused on counter-extremism, security measures alone are insufficient. He believes Iraq must address the ideological roots of ISIS influence. 'ISIS's influence isn't just military—it's doctrinal. Families returning from its grip need spiritual deconstruction as much as psychological support.' He called for sustained religious re-education programs led by moderate clerics trained in de-radicalization. 'These children and women were taught false theology. Without correcting that foundation, no reintegration can succeed.' The goal, he added, is to restore trust and provide a vision of society these families can believe in. 'Religious leaders must offer hope, not just judgment.' From a legislative perspective, Arshad al-Salihi, head of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, emphasized the need to balance justice and rehabilitation. UN-backed programs are essential for rebuilding lives, he argued, but must also include security vetting to prevent fugitives from escaping accountability. Victims of terrorism, he stressed, must not be overlooked. Some returnees from al-Hol, he pointed out, have chosen not to return to their original areas due to fears of tribal retaliation. International programs could help by creating safe zones and fostering community dialogue to address entrenched grievances. Retired Iraqi Army Colonel Hamza al-Bayati echoed the need for long-term, structured rehabilitation efforts. 'The ideology of ISIS is deeply rooted in some of these returnees. It won't be undone in weeks or months. This requires a professional, multi-year approach supported at the international level.' He called for layered interventions: trauma-focused therapy, religious counseling, vocational training, and educational programs. Women and children, in particular, need safe environments to rebuild trust and identity. Reintegration, he added, must also include economic empowerment through professional training and job creation. Beyond individual support, al-Bayati urged wide-scale public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and promote community acceptance. 'Reintegration must be supported not just by security forces but by local leaders, educators, and civil society.'
Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq signs reintegration pact for returnees from Syria
Shafaq News – Baghdad On Friday, Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) and the Ministry of Migration and Displacement signed a cooperation agreement to coordinate the rehabilitation and reintegration of citizens returning from displacement camps in Syria. In a joint statement, both sides outlined shared responsibilities, including intelligence coordination and the joint development of reintegration programs to ensure the safe and orderly return of individuals—particularly in areas previously impacted by conflict. The agreement was described as a "model" for aligning security and humanitarian efforts, to strengthen stability, restore community cohesion, and prevent the resurgence of extremist activity. CTS added that the initiative is part of its broader strategy to tackle the root causes of radicalization and disrupt terrorist recruitment. Since 2021, the Iraqi government, in partnership with international organizations, has repatriated families from Syria's al-Hol camp, transferring them to al-Jadaa facility in Nineveh for psychological and social rehabilitation.
Iraqi News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Iraq's skies violated: wave of mystery drones terrorizes northern provinces
Baghdad/Erbil ( – A terrifying wave of unidentified drone incursions has rocked northern Iraq, with multiple aircraft penetrating the skies over Duhok, Salah al-Din, and Kirkuk late Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday (July 1, 2025). The incidents, coming just days after a fragile regional ceasefire was announced, have shattered the sense of relief and sparked widespread fear among citizens that Iraq is being dragged into a new, shadowy conflict. The most alarming events unfolded over several key locations: In Duhok province, the Kurdistan Region's Counter-Terrorism Service confirmed that a booby-trapped drone crashed in the Darkar district. The impact of what was described as an 'unknown projectile' reportedly caused a large fire at a school within the Darkar camp, creating panic in a vulnerable community. In Salah al-Din province, the Qaimaqam (District Mayor) of Baiji confirmed that the North Refineries Company successfully intercepted drones that targeted the critical Baiji oil refinery, one of the country's most important pieces of infrastructure. This follows a rocket attack in Kirkuk just hours earlier, which the governor linked to a preceding anti-ISIS operation, suggesting a possible pattern of retaliation that is now spilling into other provinces with more sophisticated drone technology. These simultaneous incursions across a wide geographic area represent a significant and coordinated violation of Iraqi sovereignty. The fact that they are occurring after the declared ceasefire between Iran and Israel is particularly chilling for the Iraqi public. The unanswered questions are fueling the anxiety: Who is operating these drones, and what is their objective? Are they non-state factions aiming to sabotage the peace deliberately? As Iraqi security forces scramble to respond, the nation holds its breath, fearing that the end of one war was merely the beginning of another, more ambiguous conflict fought in its own skies.
Shafaq News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi Counter-Terrorism launches operation against ISIS in Kirkuk
Shafaq News/ Iraqi counter-terrorism forces launched a targeted military operation in southern Kirkuk on Friday, destroying ISIS hideouts in a rugged valley long used as a base by the group. A security source told Shafaq News Agency that elite units from the Counter-Terrorism Service, backed by air support, conducted a field operation in Wadi al-Shay, within the Daquq district, south of Kirkuk, destroying several ISIS shelters used for movement and concealment. No casualties were reported among Iraqi forces, according to the source, who noted that further preemptive operations will continue in Wadi al-Shay and surrounding areas to sever supply lines and deny the militants haven. Wadi al-Shay is one of the most challenging terrains in southern Kirkuk, with dense vegetation and interwoven hills. It has served as a strategic hideout for ISIS remnants since the group's territorial defeat. The valley has seen repeated operations since 2018 by the Counter-Terrorism Service and Rapid Response Forces. Its location — linking Kirkuk with the Hamrin Mountains and stretching toward Diyala and Saladin provinces — makes it a critical corridor used by militants to move and launch attacks.
