Suspected ISIS militants kill Kurdish shepherd in Kirkuk  

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Kurdish shepherd was killed in southeast Kirkuk on Sunday by suspected ISIS militants, a security source told Kurdistan 24.

The attack took place near Rokhana lake in the southeastern Laylan subdistrict in the province, according to the police source.

At least four Kurdish shepherds were attacked by two suspected ISIS militants, whose offensive was later repelled by the herders, the source added.

As a result of the clashes, Zirak Zahir, a Kurdish shepherd, and a militant were killed, he said. The other assailant fled the scene.

Previously, Kurdish shepherds have faced kidnapping by the members of the terror group in the disputed territories between Erbil and Baghdad.

Once they are abducted, their families are asked to pay a ransom in exchange for the shepherds’ release. An amount of about $25,000 is usually demanded by the abductors.

In June, an Arab shepherd was similarly kidnapped in Kirkuk. Two months earlier, four more shepherds were abducted in the same area.

Following the ISIS territorial defeat of the group in 2017, the radical militants have resumed kidnapping as a form of income-generating business for the group, according to security experts and officials.

Lack of cooperation between Kurdish and Iraqi forces is usually cited as a factor behind the rise in attacks.

Additional reporting by Kirkuk corespondent Soran Kamaran