Politics

Explosion rocks Kirkuk as New Year approaches

Overnight attacks by unknown armed groups, reminiscent of IS and Al-Qaeda, have been commonplace incidents over the past three months, notably since the Oct. 16 attack.

Nadia Riva 2017/12/31 08:33

kurdistan Iraq Kurdistan Kirkuk

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – At least five people were wounded as armed groups attacked two cafes in Kirkuk, and an official of the Iranian-backed Shia Badr militia escaped a kidnapping attempt Saturday evening in the latest security incidents to rock the disputed city.

A local security source told Kurdistan 24 that unidentified gunmen launched two hand grenades at popular venues in the al-Quds neighborhood in central Kirkuk, injuring five people. The source did not provide additional details, and other reports claim the incident was a propane tank explosion.

Activists shared pictures depicting the damages caused to the inside and outside of the cafés.

Turkmeneli TV published pictures and confirmed that the attack was carried out by gunmen with grenades. (Photo: social media)

Due to the deteriorating security situation in the province of Kirkuk since the Oct. 16 attack and takeover by Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militias, such incidents are becoming a daily occurrence.

The disputed city of Kirkuk was under the protection of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces since 2014, after the emergence of the Islamic State (IS) and the collapse of the Iraqi army.

On Saturday, the head of the northern branch of the Badr Army, closely aligned with Iran, escaped an attempted kidnapping from a crowded market in central Kirkuk.

A source told Kurdistan 24 that Ali Tisinli managed to flee his attackers, which Tisinli then described to Iraqi news channel al-Sumaria as “terrorists.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks or the kidnapping attempt.

Overnight attacks by unknown armed groups, reminiscent of IS and Al-Qaeda, have been commonplace incidents over the past three months, notably since the Oct. 16 attack.

Iraq’s anti-terrorism forces are currently in charge of security in Kirkuk, one of the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi federal government.

The head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, Rebwar Talabani, has called on Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to hand over control of the security apparatus to the local police in a bid to stabilize the situation.