BAGHDAD

The Iraqi army on Saturday launched a military operation against the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group in the capital, Baghdad, amid attacks on power transmission towers across the country.

A statement by the Defense Ministry said members of the Special Forces, federal police and the pro-government Hashd al-Shaabi militia are taking part in the operation to track down Daesh/ISIS militants north of Baghdad.

On Friday, the Iraqi government put security forces on a state of alert following attacks targeting electric power transmission towers supplying drinking water purification plants north and west of Baghdad.

Iraqi authorities often accuse Daesh/ISIS militants of being behind the attacks, which came at a critical time due to hot summer temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country necessitating a higher demand for electricity to operate air conditioners.

Iraq produces 19,000-21,000 megawatts of electricity.

In recent months, electricity transmission lines have been the target of attacks by suspected Daesh/ISIS militants in the provinces of Salahuddin, Diyala, and Kirkuk.

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS by reclaiming all of its territory -- about a third of the country’s area -- invaded by the terror group in 2014.

But the terrorist movement still maintains sleeper cells in large areas of Iraq and periodically launches attacks.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara