Iraqi army highlights importance of civilian security ahead of Hawija operation

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The evacuation of civilians will be a priority as plans to liberate the Hawija district in western Kirkuk from the Islamic State (IS) are underway, the Iraqi army said on Sunday.

The Iraqi Defense Ministry released a statement on Saturday indicating that troops were redeployed in Kirkuk in preparation to recapture Hawija.

Brigadier-General Yahya Rasul, a spokesperson for the Iraqi Army Joint Operations Command (JOC), said the safety of civilians in the district was important.

“We aren’t going to rush this campaign,” Rasul was quoted by the Anadolu Agency.

“Our priority will be the evacuation of civilians trapped in [Hawija] by the terrorists,” he added.

According to Army First Lieutenant Fayeq Numan al-Salim, most of the forces who were involved in the Tal Afar operation will participate in the Hawija campaign.

“Preparations for the campaign began several weeks ago, but they were stepped up following the recent recapture of Tal Afar,” Salim said, adding victory would be “speedy.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the militant group in Tal Afar, west of Mosul, on Sep. 1 just two weeks after the campaign began.

Brigadier-General Rasul said the offensive to liberate Hawija would “be fundamentally different than that for Tal Afar.”

“The JOC’s plan is unequivocal in this regard,” he added. “Our first objective will be liberating civilians and ensuring their safety before moving into the targeted district.”

Kurdish officials in the province of Kirkuk have been calling on Baghdad to prioritize the liberation of Hawija, one of IS’ key strongholds in Iraq.

In July, Kirkuk Governor Najmaldin Karim warned that the town of Hawija had become a harbor for IS extremists.

“Hawija has become a haven for terrorists,” Karim told Kurdistan 24. “The presence of [IS] in Hawija poses a serious security threat to surrounding cities.”

Although Kurds make up a majority of the population, Kirkuk is a diverse area made up of different ethnic and religious groups including Turkmen, Arabs, and Christians.

Editing by Ava Homa