An ISIS “Cub of the Caliphate” took his suicide belt home with him which is just outside of Nineveh. His entire family, including three small children were all killed in the incident.
The scene of explosives-clad teenagers has become common, especially in the eastern side of Mosul, he added. “It comes as part of ISIS strategy to strengthen its grip on the ground and intimidate the people.”
Mosul, which ISIS took over in June 2014, had been declared the capital of the proclaimed “Islamic Caliphate” before the extremist group began to sustain continuous defeats since the launch of operations by Iraqi troops and US-led air forces to liberate the city launched in October.
Since it took over large parts of Iraq in 2014, ISIS has notoriously formed squads of underage fighters, many of whom appeared in the group’s propaganda videos carrying out heinous executions of opponents.
A local source told Alsumaria News that the boy, who belonged to the so-called “Cubs of the Caliphate” squad, was going back home at al-Wehda district, putting on an explosive belt given out to him and other comrades of the squad.