The Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) on Thursday released the confessions of three Islamic State (IS) extremists involved in the latest attack in the Region’s capital.

In an official statement, the KRSC published the confessions of three men who had previously declared allegiances to the extremist group and were responsible for the attack on Erbil’s Governorate building in July.

“Following the terrorist attack on Erbil governorate on July 23, the Asayish [Security] forces confronted and killed all three attacking terrorists. Investigations after the attack led to the arrest of the remaining terrorist cell,” the statement said.

The KRSC released the names of the five members of the “terrorist cell” who planned and perpetrated the “terrorist attack” on the Erbil Governorate building; Abdulrahman Raheem Qadir, Bilal Sleman Abdulrahman, and Rahel Mohammed Rostam were killed during the attack while security forces later arrested Mohammed Jabbar and Mohammed Sherzad.

According to the confessions made by the two IS members, Ismail Najmaldin Ismail, known as Ismail Susayee (who joined IS extremists in 2014), had supported and encouraged the IS cell members.

Susayee, who previously declared allegiances to the extremist group twice, had exchanged voice messages with the IS members and had expressed his readiness to help them. He also spied on Peshmerga forces on behalf of the terrorist group, the KRSC said.

“The latest terrorist act Susayee conducted provided weapons, money, and equipment to the group who perpetrated the terrorist attack,” the statement added.

“The cell, through some extremists, and using the holy religion of Islam, have developed their extremist ideology and have planned terrorist acts,” the KRSC said.

One employee at the governorate office was killed and five security forces wounded during an hours-long siege at the Erbil Governorate building last month.

In a previous, exclusive interview with Kurdistan 24, the Director of Erbil Security, Tariq Nouri, said those who attacked the Erbil Governorate building had ties to the IS extremist group.