Iraqi PM announces capture of key IS terrorist

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced the arrest of a key Islamic State (IS) terrorist allegedly responsible for a Baghdad bombing five years ago that killed hundreds of people.

Al-Kadhimi said on Twitter on Monday that the Iraqi Intelligence Service carried out a complex operation outside the country to arrest Ghazwan al-Zawbai, nicknamed Abu Ubaidah Baghdad, reports Xinhua news agency.

Al-Zawbai is one of the most wanted for his role in carrying out several operations against Iraqi people and security forces, said Yahia Rasoul, spokesperson of the commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi forces.

Al-Zawbai is also involved in at least four deadly suicide bomb attacks in Baghdad during 2016 and 2017, Rasoul added.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi forces defeated the IS in 2017.

However, the IS remnants have since carried out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.