ISIS militants seize livestock after clash with shepherds in Tuz Khurmatu

TUZ KHURMATU — A group of suspected Islamic State militants clashed with three shepherds Wednesday in the Tuz Khurmatu district’s Dawda region before seizing their livestock, according to a Peshmerga commander.

Hama Chawri, commander of the Peshmerga 32nd Brigade in Tuz Khurmatu, told 964media that the incident occurred while the shepherds were tending to their flock.

“The shepherds were armed and engaged in a firefight with the militants for about half an hour before fleeing. The militants ultimately took control of the livestock,” Chawri said.

He added that units from the 9th and 32nd Peshmerga brigades are now advancing toward the area to recover the seized animals.

Although ISIS was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, remnants of the group still pose a threat. Security forces continue to conduct daily operations against these remaining cells. The Islamic State, which declared a caliphate in 2014, lost its last stronghold in Syria in 2019.

A United Nations report from January 2024 estimated that between 3,000 and 5,000 ISIS fighters remain active in Iraq and Syria, continuing to pose a serious security challenge.