Iraq Dismantles Major Daesh Network

Intelligence-led mission targets financial and smuggling routes from West Africa to Syria, disrupting support for terrorist cells inside Iraq

Iraq, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Iraq’s intelligence services have announced the dismantling of a major network linked to Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) that was responsible for moving militants and transferring funds inside the country.

According to Tasnim’s correspondent in Baghdad, the security operation lasted more than 750 days, focusing on a network that facilitated financial transfers and coordinated the movement of fighters for Daesh operations in Iraq.

The mission was carried out jointly by Iraqi intelligence and counter-terrorism units in a cross-border operation that detained members of the network.

Conducted under the supervision of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council in Kirkuk province, the operation struck a group accused of supplying funding and logistical support to Daesh cells operating within Iraq.

Officials said the crackdown followed prolonged surveillance of Daesh operatives stretching from West Africa to the Middle East, mapping their movements, communication channels, and financial infrastructure.

The network was reportedly responsible for smuggling militants across multiple countries to sustain Daesh’s operational capacity.

Rising Concerns Over Cross-Border Militant Activity

The announcement comes amid heightened concerns in Baghdad about the revival of Daesh-linked networks, especially along the Iraq-Syria border.

Iraqi sources previously told Tasnim that takfiri militants have intensified their activities on both sides of the frontier, exploiting gaps in border security.

Last week, reports surfaced of a meeting in Damascus between Iraq’s intelligence chief and Ahmad al-Shar'a, known as Jolani, underscoring regional security risks posed by extremist groups entrenched in Syria.

Iraqi officials warn that the re-emergence of such networks, combined with the rise of extremist elements in parts of Syria, could reinvigorate Daesh’s ability to finance operations and coordinate attacks inside Iraq.

Baghdad has stressed that dismantling this financing and smuggling network delivers a significant blow to Daesh’s operational reach, while also serving as a deterrent to cross-border militant movements. Authorities vowed to continue intelligence-led operations to neutralize remaining cells and protect Iraq’s borders from infiltration. (PW)