LINKS. Iraq sentences more than 600 people suspected of links to the militant group a year after the end of a 3-year war against the jihadists. Photo from Shutterstock
"Combat operations have reached a level we haven't seen in a while," said Iraqi security expert Hisham al-Hashemi. "What's happening now is taking us back to 2014," he said, referring to the year when IS seized swathes of the country in a lightning offensive.In part, the escalation may be linked to security units being redeployed to enforce a nationwide lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 2,000 people and killed over 90 in Iraq.
Abu Raghif and the Kirkuk intelligence officer said a significant troop drawdown by the 7,500-strong US-led coalition had also paved the way for IS to boost attacks. Despite years of training, the US Defense Department assessed this year that Iraqi troops were still unable to adequately collect and use intelligence in anti-IS raids on their own, or maintain operations in tough terrain without coalition help.
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