ISIS resorts to fish farming in Kanaous for financing

The ISIS terror organization began regrouping its ranks whether by moving to mountains and deserts, or using propaganda to boost the morale of its elements, especially after the recent emergence of its leader in April, five years after his first appearance at al-Nuri mosque in Mosul.

ISIS resurgence comes after a series of strikes, which the extremist group received since its military defeat by Iraqi forces in late 2017.

However, the recent surprise was in the large number of ISIS militants on Kanaous island, south of Saladin province, along the Tigris River, which is a transit point for ISIS travelers to Iraq.

The island was air bombed by US aircraft given that it was difficult to attack from the ground. The aircraft took satellite images showing the state of the island after the bombardment.

According to the international coalition, its planes dropped 36 tons of bombs on the island, which is teeming with ISIS extremists. The coalition said the raids by F-15s and F-35s targeted the island.

The spokesman for joint operations in the Ministry of Defense announced the death of 25 terrorists in the raids carried by coalition aircraft.

The attack is part of the Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition operations against ISIS, dubbed “Will to Victory”.

Head of Iraq Institute for Strategic and Security Studies Moataz Mohieddin noted that these islands in Euphrates and Tigris rivers have become an important refuge for ISIS armed militants.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Mohieddin explained that the islands are considered a good hideout because they are full of reeds and papyrus, adding that ISIS is investing them in fish farming. The terrorist organization later sells the fish as part of the financing operations they need for transportation and purchase of weapons, after their resources greatly diminished.

Mohieddin said that the US forces had been warning Iraqi security forces for some time about ISIS militants returning from the outskirts of the Iraq-Syria border and coming to these remote and rugged areas, especially the islands.

He admitted that no unit can reach these islands especially that they are not close to the cliff, thus there is a need for an experienced force to handle the situation there.

Mohieddin explained that the air force can attack the militants on the islands, however, ISIS is more familiar with the terrain there and can easily hide, especially since they have river boats that enable them to go and hide in nearby areas, such as al-Makhoul and Hamrin Mountains.

He noted that al-Horh island in Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad, has become a safe haven from where Iraqi forces have been launching attacks for a long time, but the extremists keep returning to it.

Mohieddin also called for the deployment of sufficient forces to protect the Iraqi shores because they are neglected and abandoned, and therefore exploited by extremists.