A large-scale security operation targeting the southern, western and northern suburbs of Baghdad has been launched in response to the terror attacks that struck Iraq on Thursday, the Iraqi Interior Ministry announced Friday (April 20th).

About 9,000 members of the security forces began a large-scale campaign in Abu Ghraib, Mahmoudia, Radhwaniya, Latifiya, Zubie, Tarmiya and Mushahida to search for al-Qaeda hideouts, Col. Hikmat Mahmoud al-Masary, director of media and communications at the ministry, told Al-Shorfa.

Information now available to the security forces indicates that the attackers were based in rural areas outside the capital, he said.

Al-Masary said the campaign will run for two weeks.