Iraqi forces have taken over six hideouts of IS militants in Daquq, southwest of Kirkuk, tens of bombs and explosives found.
The operation was launched on Tuesday following ISIS activities in the villages of Daquq, home of Kaka’i religious minority. “We have taken over six hideouts they used as a base and cleared five bombs each contained five literes of explosives,” security source from Daquq anonymously said.
A barrel of 100 litters of TNT and other explosives and material for making bombs were found, he added.
“We have taken over six hideouts they used as a base and cleared five bombs each contained five literes of explosives,” security source from Daquq anonymously said.
The operation was launched by Unit 11 of Iraqi army in coordination with intelligence agency and Daquq security forces in the villages of Kombass and Bahar south west of Daquq.
The operation was in retaliation for several attacks by the extremist militants carried out last week in the area, killing a policeman and two others were injured.
Daquq district, southwest of Kirkuk is home for Kaka'i, or Yarsanism, a secretive monotheist spiritual religion which has not been officially recognized in the Iraqi constitution. Their villages are a target for extremist Islamic militants whom persecuted them as they accuse them of being defectors.
The source was not authorized to speak to the media said they have decided to keep the assaults regularly in order to sweep and clean the region of IS fighters “so that they do not pose a threat to people and the security forces.”
Former Iraqi PM Haidar Al-Abadi announced defeat of IS end of 2017 yet the group is regrouping lately. ISIS regional leaders and operatives continue to be targeted, forcing them to hide in rural areas.
Last month, Iraqi PM Kadhimi announced murder of key figure of ISIS in Iraq Abu Yasser Al-Issawi, ISIS Deputy Caliph in Iraq, in an operation by Iraqi forces south of Kirkuk. The operation came in response to Baghdad double suicide booming last January, killed 32 civilians and injured more than 100.
