Kurdish forces clash with ISIS militants, capturing one

Confrontation in Kirkuk leaves security member, ISIS fighter dead

KIRKUK – A confrontation between Kurdish security forces and two Islamic State fighters in the Qarahanjir sub-district of Kirkuk governorate early Sunday resulted in the death of a security member, Jwamer Aziz, and the injury of another. One ISIS fighter was killed, and the other was captured wounded, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region’s Security Agency.

The incident occurred when the two ISIS fighters, riding a motorcycle, raised the suspicions of security forces, who then monitored them. The fighters confronted the forces during the apprehension attempt. Qarahanjir, located 15 kilometers east of Kirkuk on the Kirkuk-Sulaymaniyah highway, has been a hotspot for ISIS activities.

“These two ISIS militants … had carried out multiple terrorist activities in the area. Previously, they had killed a police officer in the Shoraw neighborhood of Kirkuk, and in a second incident in Panja Ali Neighborhood, when they planted a bomb, a confrontation between them and security members occurred, resulting in the death of another police officer,” the Security Agency’s statement read. It further detailed that the militants had previously killed two more police officers in Kirkuk’s market area and another officer in front of a hospital in separate incidents.

Avesta Mohammed, the head of the Qarahanjir sub-district, told 964media, “We had information for several days about ISIS fighters’ movements in the area. These two fighters knew that the school was closed and intended to use it to manage their activities.” One of the fighters was found wearing a suicide vest, and several grenades were confiscated. Mohammed attributed the security gaps in the area to the lack of coordination between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government security forces, creating a security vacuum.

Baghdad and Erbil, with support from the U.S.-led Global Coalition, have been holding talks for years to create joint brigades in their border areas. While some brigades are active in certain areas, this is not the case everywhere.

This incident follows clashes in Diyala governorate on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of four Iraqi security forces and three ISIS fighters. Despite significant military defeats and the loss of its territorial hold, ISIS remnants remain active in Iraq through insurgent activities and sporadic attacks. There has been an uptick in ISIS activity in Iraq since May, claiming the lives of several Iraqi soldiers, including a battalion commander.

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