‘ISIS Forming New Cells in Turkey’, Says Iraq’s Military Intelligence Chief

Senior ISIS figures escaped the last city the group held in Syria and “bribed their way through the SDF lines to Turkey,” according to the Iraqi General.

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‘ISIS Forming New Cells in Turkey’, Says Iraq’s Military Intelligence Chief

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Iraq's military intelligence chief, Lieutenant General Saad al-Allaq, has called for "international efforts" against ISIS's recent endeavor for rebuilding, in an interview with CNN.

Some senior figures of the group have taken refuge in Turkey and have been forming "new cells," according to al-Allaq. They escaped the last city the group held in Syria, Baghouz, and "bribed their way through the SDF [Syrian Democratic Forces] lines to Turkey," according to the Iraqi General.

The SDF captured Baghouz from ISIS in March in a US-supported operation.

"They have secretly crossed into these areas from the Syrian-Turkish border. Top leaders who have money... They crossed with the help of smugglers by paying large amounts of money and have secretly entered Turkish territory," Allaq said.

Iraq handed dossiers on nine ISIS members to Turkey, al-Allaq said, noting that there are "financiers with access to huge amounts of money" among them.

ISIS plans include mass prison breaks in Iraq and Syria and carrying out attacks throughout the world, according to the general.

Intelligence report: ISIS will exploit reduction in pressure

Image: Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community

The US intelligence agencies warned in January that ISIS "still commands thousands of fighters in Iraq and Syria," in a report submitted to the Congress.

"The group will exploit any reduction in counter-terrorism pressure to strengthen its clandestine presence and accelerate rebuilding key capabilities, such as media production and external operations," the report said.

(PT/VK)

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