Between Diyala and Saladin: missed hotspots

Officials in Diyala today warned of the danger of hotspots located on the borders with Saladin Governorate, noting that security operations have not been addressed over the past period.
“Small groups of ISIS are still present in remote border areas between Diyala and Saladin despite the ongoing security operations, the last of them was the fourth phase of Iraqi Heroes operation”, Abdul Jabbar Ahmed al-Obeidi said.
He also emphasized the need to “taking control of the land instead of repeating revealed security operations of which terrorist groups are informed.”
Al-Obeidi called for “maintaining and securing the lands adjacent to Diyala within the borders of Saladin, which are still hotspots threatening the borders of Diyala” adding that “security forces with the Tribal and Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi hold all the villages of Saladin, but the major security imbalance is concentrated in Saladin.”
The Director of Al-Azim called for “securing and maintaining the vital Diyala-Samarra road and installing checkpoints and cameras to stop the infiltration, and movement of terrorists in the border areas between Diyala and Saladin.”

Fattah Al-Azzawi, the commander of the fourth regiments, Nida’a Diyala brigade revealed that “there are tunnels for ISIS in Hawi al Azim and the Himrin Mountains between Diyala and Saladin”.
“ISIS’s members are still flocking from the borders of Saladin within the Suleiman Beik district and the excavations towards the Diyala regions due to security voids and lack of land acquisition following past security operation”, added Al-Azzawi
It’s noteworthy that the border areas between Diyala and Saladin are the most dangerous hotbeds and nests of terrorism because of the rugged geographical nature that enabled ISIS gangs to take safe havens and strongholds to launch terrorist attacks in the border sides of Diyala and Kirkuk.