Further arrests were made as part of an investigation into the car bomb attack in Ainkawa area of Erbil on 17 April 2015. This vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) was detonated by remote control and resulted in the deaths of 2 innocent civilians and a number of bystanders.

The Directorate of Asayish in Erbil, in coordination with the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism, apprehended the terrorists shortly after the attack. The arrests were made based on information from the public and, in some cases, family members.

The group is part of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and has had extensive contact with members of ISIS over several months. Each member of the group has confessed about their role in the attack. Four of the five individuals are residents of Erbil, and the other is an Arab resident based in Kirkuk.

All the confessions were recorded and are available to the public. In the confessions each individual gives a detailed account of the planning and implementation of the attack, cites encouragement by a small number of mullahs with jihadist beliefs and confirms direct contact with ISIS.

The individuals will remain in custody.

Security services are pursuing a wanted terrorist linked to the car bomb attack. We call on the people of the Kurdistan Region to report any information on Ali Sulaiman Othman Ali to local security services.

Please click this link to view the video of the confessions:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bzjweo3csm2dtlg/Ainkawa%20Car%20Bomb%20Network.mpg?dl=0

Photo of Ali Sulaiman Othman Ali:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u2i91ejyg16bixu/Ali%20Sulaiman%20Othman%20Ali.jpg?dl=0



Office of The Chancellor
Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC)