Counter-Terrorism Service: Two Civilians Killed, One Militant Killed, Another Captured in Kirkuk Operation
CTS says one suspected terrorist was arrested and four of its personnel were wounded in the clash
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said on Thursday that its forces killed one suspected terrorist and arrested another during a security operation in Kirkuk, adding that two civilians were killed and four CTS personnel wounded in an ensuing clash.
In a statement issued on Oct. 1, the CTS said the operation was carried out as part of its national duty to pursue terrorist elements and thwart plans aimed at targeting civilians and threatening their security and safety.
According to the statement, a CTS force pursued two suspected terrorists in a densely populated residential area. One of the suspects was wearing an explosive belt, while the other was armed, and the two were allegedly planning to carry out a terrorist attack and target civilians in the area.
The CTS said a clash broke out as its forces moved to prevent the attack, resulting in the death of one of the suspects and the arrest of the other. The confrontation also resulted in the deaths of two civilians and injuries to four CTS personnel.
Following the incident, Iraq’s commander-in-chief of the armed forces ordered the formation of a joint investigative committee, while the head of the Counter-Terrorism Service directed the establishment of a separate fact-finding committee to determine responsibility and identify any shortcomings.
The CTS expressed its deep regret over the civilian casualties and offered condolences to the families of the two victims, while wishing those injured a speedy recovery.
The service said protecting civilians and safeguarding their lives and security remain among its foremost responsibilities, stressing its commitment to applicable laws and regulations as well as to professional and national standards in carrying out its duties.
It added that it would work to establish the full facts and take the necessary measures based on the findings of the investigations.
The latest statement follows conflicting accounts over the Sept. 27 counterterrorism operation in Pirde also known as (Altun Kupri), north of Kirkuk. The CTS and Security Media Cell initially said that two ISIS militants were killed and a third was wounded and arrested, while local officials and relatives of two teenagers killed in the operation disputed the identification of the victims as terrorists.
A member of the Iraqi parliament’s Security and Defence Committee said the two people identified by the CTS as militants were local civilians, while Kirkuk officials called for a high-level investigation.
However, the CTS’s latest statement still does not resolve whether the two civilians killed were among those initially identified as terrorists, or whether they were killed separately during the clash.
The operation comes as Iraqi security forces continue counterterrorism operations against ISIS remnants, which remain capable of carrying out attacks despite losing their territorial control in Iraq.
The group has continued to exploit security gaps and difficult terrain to conduct attacks, particularly in areas where security responsibilities between federal Iraqi forces and the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces are not fully coordinated.