BAGHDAD — The arrest of five key members of the Islamic State (IS) points to a steady encroachment on territory still held by the extremist group and a tightening of the noose around its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Four members were reportedly captured near their home areas straddling the Syrian-Iraqi border. The two Syrians arrested had apparently not been involved with any of IS' precursors, while at least one of the three Iraqis reportedly had a lengthy history with Jamaat al-Tawhid wal Jihad.

Questions remain regarding exactly how and when the men were detained, with media reports and official statements providing conflicting accounts. Their capture alive is nevertheless a boon for intelligence agencies, as cross-border airstrikes have been stepped up on the few areas still under IS control in Syria’s eastern Deir ez-Zor province. The area is roughly divided by the Euphrates River into international coalition-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) territory north and east of the waterway and Syrian regime and allied militias south and west of it, with the most sizable IS enclaves in SDF-held areas.

On May 9, Iraqi television broadcast a video that opened with the seal of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service and went on to showcase the men’s capture. Reminiscent of suspense-provoking film trailers in a style similar to that long used by IS itself to attract viewers and acolytes, the video includes footage of the five men during their time in IS followed by post-capture monologues, with the captives dressed in bright yellow prisoner uniforms.

The video ends with a photograph of Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, noting that he had closely overseen the operation. The video's release only a few days prior to the May 12 parliamentary elections hinted at an attempt to boost Abadi’s share of the vote.