Iraqi counter-terrorism officer killed in clashes with ISIS in Hamrin Mountains

KIRKUK — Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service announced Monday the death of one of its members, Hadi Hamid Ne’ma, during clashes with Islamic State militants in the Hamrin mountain range, Kirkuk province.

In an official statement, Karim Al-Tamimi, head of the Counter-Terrorism Service, said, “On behalf of myself and the heroes of the Counter-Terrorism Service, I mourn the martyrdom of the brave hero, Hadi Hamid Ne’ma, and extend my condolences to his self-sacrificing family. He was martyred during clashes with ISIS terrorist gangs in the Hamrin mountain range.”

“I ask Almighty God to grant him His vast mercy and provide his family with patience and solace,” the statement added.

The Islamic State emerged in 2014, seizing major cities like Mosul and Tikrit and declaring a “caliphate” under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Known for extreme violence and targeting minorities, the group was militarily defeated in Iraq by 2017 through efforts by Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and a U.S.-led coalition. However, ISIS remnants persist as an insurgent force, conducting periodic attacks from remote areas.

In response, Iraqi security forces, in coordination with international partners, have ramped up efforts to eliminate remaining ISIS elements. In October 2024, a joint operation by U.S. and Iraqi forces successfully targeted and killed Jassim al-Mazroui Abu Abdul Qader, the ISIS leader in Iraq, along with eight senior commanders in the Hamrin Mountains.