Shia militias enter Kirkuk following recent IS attack

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Over 200 Shia militiamen on Saturday entered Kirkuk to protect some neighborhoods following the recent Islamic State (IS) attack on Oct. 20.

Iranian-backed Shia militia Hashd al-Shaabi deployed reinforcements to Tis’een neighborhood in the center of Kirkuk Province, claiming they would protect Shia Turkmen people in the area.

“Their role is to guard Kirkuk,” Najat Hussein, a member of the Iraqi Turkmen Front in Kirkuk, told Kurdistan24.

“They have 100 percent coordination with the head of security commission in Kirkuk Najmaddin Karim who is also the governor of the province,” he continued.

Hussein noted the militia had been deployed to Kirkuk in agreement with the administration of the province. He mentioned the militia force would be in charge of a few places in Kirkuk.

“Our duty is to protect Kirkuk. When the security of those areas is obtained, they will leave and go to other places where they are needed,” Karim explained.

Kurdistan24 learned the militia forces contain Turkmen people from the 16^th militia brigade, numbering over 200 militants.

Brigadier Halo Najat, the chief of Kirkuk security (Asayish) forces, confirmed to Kurdistan24 the militia had entered the center of Kirkuk following an agreement.

Najat added the Shia forces would leave the area later based on the arrangement signed between both sides.

The deployment of the militia had been a sensitive issue for the Kurdish people in the multiethnic province as they make over 50 percent of Kirkuk’s population.

They were concerned the militia would impose itself in the area and refuse to leave.

On Oct. 20, IS attacked Kirkuk and temporarily controlled some buildings in different areas before Kurdish security forces defeated them.

According to Kirkuk security, 99 people were killed and 250 wounded in the attack.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

(Additional reporting by Soran Kamaran)