Iraqi police killed, militant captured in three ISIS attacks in disputed areas

In one of the attacks, ISIS killed one federal police officer, and the security forces captured a wounded ISIS fighter.

Mustafa Shilani 2020/04/12 20:42

middle east Iraq ISIS Islamic State Kirkuk Diyala ISF

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Remnants of the so-called Islamic State late Sunday launched three separate attacks on members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in both Kirkuk and Diyala provinces, killing a police officer and wounding others.

The military communications center, known as the Security Media Cell, confirmed that the members of the terrorist organization attacked ISF forces in Mansourya village, located in southwest Kirkuk province. One federal police officer was killed, and the security forces captured a wounded Islamic State fighter.

A local security source told Kurdistan 24 that several members of the terror group retreated into hiding following the attack. ISF members currently surround the village and are conducting a security sweep of the area.

At the same time, local media reported that another group of Islamic State gunmen attacked an ISF checkpoint in the Jalawla district of Diyala province. This incident did not lead to any casualties, as per preliminary reporting.

Jalawla, also known as Gulala in Kurdish, is one of the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government of Iraq.

Furthermore, Iraqi soldiers repelled another attack, as Islamic State fighters struck an army post in the village of Tal-Basal, located in Kirkuk's Daquq district.

In another incident in Qara Tapa subdistrict of Diyala province, an explosive device blew up at a sports stadium on Sunday, killing one person and wounding three others. It was not clear who was behind this bombing.

Earlier on Sunday, Kurdistan Region Peshmerga Minister Shorsh Ismael said that the so-called Islamic State aims to seize a "golden opportunity" to grow its foothold in parts of Iraq.

This came hours after the terrorist organization claimed responsibility for a Saturday bombing in the disputed Kirkuk province that reportedly killed an official from the border control department of Kirkuk.

These are just a few incidents among many that have taken place over the past two weeks. Local media have reported several bombings and attacks on members of the Iraqi security forces in high-risk provinces such as Kirkuk, Nineveh, Salahuddin, and Diyala.

Editing by Kosar Nawzad

(Additional reporting by Harem Jaff)