Abadi’s office said the prime minister convened with Counter-Terrorism Service commanders to “carry out specific operations to chase terrorist cells and seek retribution against them”.

According to the statement , Abadi stressed that “Daesh (ISIS) does not control any region in Iraq and its elements are hiding at mountains they had used in the past”, adding that “directives were made to track down those cells and achieve retribution against the murderers”.

Last Saturday, a video was posted purporting to show Daesh terrorists threatening to execute six abductees if the Iraqi government does not release detainees linked with the extremist group.