Signs of ISIS return in Iraq increase as group claims responsibility for Karbala bombing

Mouaz Mohamed

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the terrorist bombing that killed 12 people near the Iraqi city of Karbala on Saturday, September 21.

The attack, which was claimed by ISIS, took place in the city of Karbala, south of Baghdad, on Friday, September 20. An explosive device in a minibus was detonated as it passed through an Iraqi army checkpoint about 10 kilometers south of the city in the direction of the town of Hilla.

An explosive device targeted a minibus at the northern entrance of Karbala province on Friday, September 20 and the Directorate of Health in the province said that the bombing killed 12 citizens and wounded five others.

On Saturday, September 21, Iraqi security forces stepped up their presence around Karbala, tightening security on roads leading to the province and adding checkpoints.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi announced on Saturday, September 21 that the security forces arrested a man suspected of carrying out the bombing.

ISIS is back

Since Iraq’s announcement of the elimination of ISIS in its territory in late 2017, the dominance of ISIS’s criminal operations has subsided, but there are many limited operations in various areas of Baghdad, such as “killing soldiers, detonating an explosive device, and booby-trapping cows.”

The limited operations that have recently taken place in Iraq are believed to have been carried out by ISIS sleeper cells in different parts of the country, according to security sources, but the group has not claimed responsibility.

ISIS has, however, claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 12 people near Karbala. This is the first time in more than four months that the group has clearly claimed responsibility for attacks or bombings in Iraq.

The last time that ISIS claimed responsibility for bloody events in Iraq was on May 10, when the group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing of the Jamila commercial market, east of Baghdad.

Signs of a return are increasing

This comes at a time when there are many reports of the return of ISIS again in Iraq. According to statistics of the Al-Azhar Observatory for Fatwas, ISIS seeks to return to the front again, especially since its influence and ideology still exists and its threat is still ongoing, especially as it has the means to become a player again in the bloody terrorist attacks targeting countries of the international coalition confronting the organization.

The Al-Azhar Observatory report pointed out that ISIS is striving to reform its ranks by activating its dormant cells inside Iraq and Syria. Statistics showed that the group’s attacks in Baghdad have doubled compared to in other countries, while data issued by its media arm claimed it had carried out 73 attacks in the same country within a week.

A UN report also warned that the threat of extremist groups was still on the rise, revealing an alarming picture globally.

The report, based on information provided by the intelligence services of UN member states, said that although the alleged ISIS caliphate no longer exists on the ground, many of the factors that produced led to its emergence remain.

Nearly 30,000 foreigners have joined the ranks of ISIS, including 6,000 Europeans. More than 14,500 are held by Kurds, the other half free, and many may still be alive.

Earlier this month, Paul LaCamera, commander of the international coalition fighting ISIS stressed during a meeting with the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil, Iraq that ISIS cells still represent a serious danger, pointing to the importance of coordination between the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces to counter the threat of ISIS.