The Iraqi troops commenced a 3-day operation in Kirkuk rural areas to eradicate remnants of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ISIS whom pose an eminent threat to security and stability in the region in the last couple of months.
The joint operation launched May 19 by Iraqi army, police, Rapid response and Shiite militants of Popular Mobilization Forces PMF covers south and southwest of Kirkuk and comes to end on May 21.
“The purpose of the operation is to restore stability in the rural areas, eradicate the security threats and stop the militant groups targeting our people,” said the PMF commander of Northern Iraq.
The operation sweeps Wadi al-Shai (Tea Valley), a hotspot for IS militants, Wadi Zighitoun, villages of Sadda up to Asriyah.
The northern oil-rich city of Kirkuk, Iraq's second largest oil reserves, is ethnically a mixed province of 1.2 million Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen. It has long been at the center of disputes between Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government KRG.
Kurds, whom controlled Kirkuk till 2017 when the so-called Islamic State ISIS was ousted wanted Kirkuk, 238 kilometers north of Baghdad, to become part of the Kurdistan region, which has been opposed by the Arab and Turkmen populations.
Kirkuk May 20, 2021- Iraqi minister of defense is in Kirkuk to lead the wide-range military operation against ISIS. Photo by Kirkuk province media.
On May 20, Iraqi minister of defense met the military commanders in Kirkuk and discussed the outcomes of the wide-range military operation against ISIS.
Major General Yehia Rasool, spokesperson for commander-in-chief of Iraqi forces, said in a press conference the minister wants to be briefed in person and intensify the efforts to put an end to security threats in Kirkuk.
The operation follows a series of attacks by the extremist militants in the towns of Daquq, Hawija and Pirdy of Kirkuk in April and May.
In the first day of the operation, the villages of Awashira, Rafia, Abu Rakba, Jafar Oun, Hamisa and Mubard in the sub-district of al-Rashad of Hawija district were cleared of IS militants, a security source anonymously told KirkukNow.
KirkukNow reporter escorted the security forces in the first day of the operation said four hideouts of IS were bombed, 2 motorbike-bombs and 2 bombs were defused, and three tunnels were found.
Currently Kirkuk is under control of Baghdad since 2017 with local police downtown while Iraqi army and pro-Shiite militia Popular Mobilization Forces PMF known as Hashid aal-Sha’abi deployed at the outskirts.
The political tension between Baghdad and Erbil left Kirkuk and the disputed territories made the province miss the basic public services. Garbage collection is one of the main challenges for people in their daily life in the last years in particular. Power shortage is blamed for low supply by Baghdad compared to the high demand by people for consumption.
Kirkuk May 19, 2021- Iraqi forces bomb areas doubted to be hideouts for ISIS militants. Photo by KirkukNow.
Security sources told KirkukNow in the district of Daquq south of Kirkuk, a sweep campaign covered the villages of Qaratamur, upper Simaqa, lower Simaqa, Al-Bushahab, and the valley of Rokhana. A number of bombs, mortars, and explosives were found and nine hideouts were bombed.
Iraqi air forces and army aviation provided backup to the ground operations.
The third direction of the operation covered the villages of Asri, Boualaj, Boufashga, Lower & upper Barghoun, southwest of Kirkuk, sweeping 60 km.
“As Daesh stepped up its activities in Ramdan, we decided to launch this operation to stop their infiltration and targeting people,” said Abu Raza Najar, PMF commander of northern Iraq.
In order put an end to Baghdad Erbil dispute over the disputed territories, article 140 of the Iraqi constitution in 2005 outlined a road map for disputed territories calling for normalization, census and referendum to determine its administration all in two years but only part of the first stage has been implemented up to the present.
Early May, Daesh targeted two oil wells that takes a month to restore, officials said.
Kirkuk has produced 2.86 million barrels in April compared to 3 million barrels last March generating 177 million Dollars USD while in March it made up $195 million for Iraq's national revenues, Iraqi ministry of oil said.
Kirkuk May 19, 2021- Iraqi forces in the suburbs of Kirkuk on the first day of 3-day operation. Photo by KirkukNow
Spokesperson of commander-in-chief said in the first day of the operation, 9 hideouts, 15 IED, 3 tunnels and 127 rockets were found.
Iraqi PM has pushed to accelerate formation joint operation commands between Iraqi and Kurdish forces in the disputed territories were ISIS takes a safe heaven, following the security gap created in the territories between Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
Acting governor of Kirkuk blamed infiltration of IS to Kirkuk to absence of coordination between Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
Early May, three Peshmerga (Kurdish fighters) were killed and two were injured in an attack by ISIS militants in the sub-district of Altun Kopri (The Golden Bridge), northwest of Kirkuk.
Following the military defeat of ISIS, discord over security arrangements, public services, and the lack of a unified administration in the disputed territories, have plagued victims and survivors.
End of April, a suicide bomber was killed in Kirkuk trying to enter national security service, another arrested. The hunt for the three others is ongoing, a commander of National security in Kirkuk told KirkukNow.
