Iraq’s Counterterrorism Service arrests two terrorists in Al-Anbar

Shafaq News– Al-Anbar

Iraq’s Counterterrorism Service said on Wednesday it arrested two terrorists in Al-Anbar province, less than 24 hours after authorities announced the detention of an ISIS member wearing a suicide belt in the same province.

The Counterterrorism Service did not release further details about the identities of the suspects, the location of the arrests, or the circumstances of the operation.

On Tuesday, the Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) arrested a “dangerous terrorist” affiliated with ISIS in Al-Anbar before he could carry out an attack.

A security source told Shafaq News that the suspect was intercepted inside a restaurant in the Five Kilo area of Ramadi, the provincial capital. The security forces dismantled the suicide belt on site without casualties or material damage, imposed a security cordon, and launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the case and identify any accomplices.

Al-Anbar province shares the longest stretch of Iraq’s border with Syria, extending for roughly 325 kilometers. Within the province, the border begins at the tripoint linking Iraq, Syria, and Jordan and extends northeast toward the Al-Qaim area, where the Euphrates River enters Iraqi territory. Iraqi security officials have long described this terrain as highly sensitive, making the province a key focus for counterterrorism operations and border security efforts.

The developments come as Iraq, in coordination with the US Central Command, continues to receive detainees linked to ISIS transferred from prisons in Syria to Iraqi custody. Iraqi authorities have confirmed the arrival of about 300 such detainees so far. According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), up to 7,000 ISIS detainees are expected to be moved to facilities under Iraqi control.

Read more: Al-Anbar: Iraq’s frontline province after Ain al-Asad military handover