According to a statement, the security department units have carried out operations in various parts of Nineveh and detained militants from a sleeper cell, who reportedly confessed to planning terror attacks. Their cases were referred to the relevant judicial authorities.
The detentions were reported several days after a deadly shooting in the capital city of Baghdad claimed at least 11 lives. According to preliminary information, the Daesh* terrorist group was behind the attack.
In late 2017, Iraq declared a victory over Daesh, but the armed forces still conduct operations against militants and sleeper cells that are active in different parts of the country.
*Daesh (Islamic State/IS/ISIL/ISIS) - a terrorist organisation banned in Russia