Iraqi soldier killed in ISIS attack in Kirkuk

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – ISIS militants attacked an Iraqi army unit in Kirkuk overnight on Wednesday, killing one soldier and wounding another, according to local security forces.

The attack occurred in Dibis district, located in the north of oil-rich Kirkuk province, where Iraqi soldiers engaged in a heavy fight with ISIS militants. The province’s security forces said in a statement that a soldier, Hussien Obeid Hadi, was killed.

Hadi, 24, was from Najaf city in the south of Iraq. His body was transferred to Kirkuk’s main Azadi Hospital, the statement noted.

Recent days and weeks have seen an uptick in ISIS activities, mainly in territories disputed between Erbil and Baghdad.

The lack of security cooperation between Kurdish and Iraqi forces has been blamed for the resurgence of the extremist group’s activities as militants have exploited the security vacuum in the area.

Early on Wednesday, ISIS fighters attacked Bai Hassan oilfield in Kirkuk province, killing a guard and setting fire to two oil wells.

The Kurdistan Region’s security and political officials constantly warn about such threats, calling on their Iraqi federal counterparts to speed up the formation of a joint security command to prevent ISIS from gaining another stronghold in the country. 

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly