Police Chief, Hashd al-Shaabi commander killed in Kirkuk in two separate attacks

Unidentified gunmen, in two separate attacks in the same area of Kirkuk province on Sunday, killed an Iraqi police director and a commander in the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi, according to local security sources.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Unidentified gunmen, in two separate attacks in the same area of Kirkuk province on Sunday, killed an Iraqi police director and a commander in the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi, according to local security sources.

The gunmen opened fire on the vehicle of Shari’a village Police Director Colonel Fadhil al-Sabhawi, killing him and his son, a security source in Kirkuk told Kurdistan 24 on Monday.

Shari’a village Police Director Colonel Fadhil al-Sabhawi. (Photo: Social Media)
Shari’a village Police Director Colonel Fadhil al-Sabhawi. (Photo: Social Media)

The village is located near the agricultural town of Zab in Hawija, 50 kilometers southwest from Kirkuk city.

The source added that the gunmen set up a fake checkpoint on the road linking Hawija to Kirkuk as part of their ambush on the police chief.

Ziyad Fadhil, son of the Police Director. (Photo: Social Media)
Ziyad Fadhil, son of the Police Director. (Photo: Social Media)

Iraqi forces retook Hawija at the start of October, bringing to an end the three-year rule of the Islamic State (IS) in the disputed province.

The unknown armed group also assassinated the leader of the Juhaish tribe in Kirkuk, Sheikh Waleed Juhaishi, setting up another fake checkpoint on the same road, police said.

Juhaishi was a commander of a Hashd al-Shaabi brigade in the area. His wife died in the attack as well, the source added.

Hashd al-Shaabi Commander and the leader of Juhaish tribe in Kirkuk Province Sheikh Waleed Juhaishi. (Photo: Social Media)
Hashd al-Shaabi Commander and the leader of Juhaish tribe in Kirkuk Province Sheikh Waleed Juhaishi. (Photo: Social Media)

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attacks. However, the incidents employed similar tactics used by radical Islamic groups, including the Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda.

Sleeper cells are one of the toughest security challenges facing newly-liberated areas, which has hindered the return of many displaced families.

Recently, Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi claimed the fight against the jihadist group had gone from a military battle to one of intelligence and information, calling on Iraqis to remain vigilant and cautious.

Hawija was one of the last IS strongholds to be liberated by Iraqi forces with the help of Shia militias in early October. On Oct.16, Iraqi troops and the Hashd al-Shaabi attacked and took over the entire province of Kirkuk which had been under the protection of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces since 2014.

Instability, assassinations, and indiscriminate attacks by unidentified armed groups have drastically increased in the province since the takeover.

Editing by Nadia Riva