BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – A senior member of Iraq’s al-Fatah Coalition says that the recent increase in attacks by the Daesh terrorists against the country are linked to attempts by the foreign spy agencies which intend to prolong the presence of foreign forces.
"The increase in attacks by the Daesh terrorist organization and the moves of its terrorists are linked to foreign espionage agencies’ attempts, and they are aimed at putting pressure on the Iraqi government,” Qazanfar al-Batikh told the Arabic-language Baghdad Al-Youm website.
He added that they want to convey the idea that the terrorist group is still present in Iraq, and that the eradication of Daesh requires deployment of foreign troops in the country.
"Therefore, we believe that the increase in Daesh attacks, which happen almost on a daily basis now, is aimed at prolonging the presence of foreign forces in Iraq,” al-Batikh said.
The remarks came after at least four soldiers were killed in an overnight attack by Daesh terrorists north of the Iraqi capital, the Iraqi military said on Saturday.
Two others were wounded by a roadside bomb that the terrorists had planted and detonated in the Tarmiyah area, some 30 km north of Baghdad, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said in a statement, citing initial reports.
Reinforcement troops backed by helicopters have been searching the area for hours since early morning for the attackers, according to the statement.
Meanwhile, a local police source told Xinhua that the bomb attack was followed by a fierce clash between Daesh terrorists and the troops and that the death toll could rise.
The vast agricultural and rugged areas have witnessed a surge in Daesh activities in the past months, despite repeated military operations to hunt down the militants.
The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated Daesh terrorists across the country late in 2017.