Iraqi forces must stop IS incursions, President Salih warns

The president met with Abdul Amir Yarallah, the army’s chief of staff, to speak about the domestic defence situation, Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Thursday.

Citizens must be safeguarded, and the law upheld, Salih said, noting the an urgent need to bolster the nation’s security apparatus.

Read more: Could a NATO 'surrogate force' replace US troops in Iraq?

The meeting comes as Interior Minister Othman Al-Ghanimi ordered the suspension of three commanders in the Arar border guards for failing to perform during an IS terror attack.

Authorities released tape of the assault at the Arar border crossing along the Saudi border.

According to Asharq Al-Awsat's Arabic edition, a source at Al-Ghanimi's ministry told media that extremists captured Al-Abyad police station, taking weaponry, communications devices and a Ford pick-up truck.

They also accused the three suspended military officials of “fleeing from the battlefield.”

Meanwhile, The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, said a suicide bombing was foiled at a security headquarters in the Kirkuk Governorate on Thursday.

Two members of the security services were injured while preventing the attack, the report added.

Iraq formally declared victory over IS in 2017 after reclaiming all the territory once occupied by the extremist group. However, sporadic attacks by militants are ongoing.

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