Iraq Says Airstrikes Destroy Eight ISIS Hideouts in Kirkuk

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iraqi Air Force warplanes destroyed eight ISIS hideouts in Kirkuk province in a series of precision airstrikes targeting remnants of the militant group, Iraq's Security Media Cell said Monday.

The operation was conducted after military intelligence identified ISIS militants operating within the area of responsibility of the 11th Division under the Kirkuk Operations Command, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, which operates under the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Intelligence-led strikes

The Security Media Cell said the strikes were based on "accurate intelligence" gathered by the Military Intelligence Directorate and were carried out in coordination with the Iraqi Air Force Command.

The operation was supervised by the Targeting Cell of the Commander-in-Chief's office, with Cessna Caravan aircraft used to strike the identified locations.

Eight ISIS hideouts were destroyed, the statement said. Iraqi authorities did not immediately provide details on possible militant casualties, saying further assessments of the targeted areas would determine the results.

The strikes form part of ongoing Iraqi military operations aimed at locating and eliminating ISIS remnants and disrupting the group's ability to establish temporary bases in remote areas.

ISIS remnants remain active

Iraq declared the territorial defeat of ISIS in December 2017, after government forces, backed by an international coalition, retook the last areas held by the group.

However, ISIS sleeper cells have continued to operate in parts of northern and western Iraq, relying on remote terrain to evade security forces and launch occasional attacks.

Kirkuk remains one of the areas where the group has maintained a presence. Its rugged valleys and difficult-to-access areas provide cover for militants seeking to regroup, according to Iraqi security assessments.

The Wadi al-Shay and Wadi al-Zghaytoun areas in southwestern Kirkuk have in particular remained targets of Iraqi counterterrorism and military operations.

Continued pressure on militant cells

The latest airstrikes underscore Baghdad's continued reliance on intelligence-led operations and air power to target ISIS positions before they can be used to organize attacks.

Iraqi security forces have repeatedly conducted clearance operations and aerial strikes in areas where militants are believed to maintain hideouts or movement routes.

The destruction of the eight locations is the latest reported operation in Kirkuk aimed at preventing ISIS remnants from rebuilding their infrastructure nearly nine years after the group lost its territorial control in Iraq.