12 militants killed & injured during attempt to leave Salahuddin

Twelve Islamic State militants were killed and injured as they attempted infiltration toward eastern Salahuddin, a security source said on Friday.

“The artillery of Al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] shelled Islamic State militants who attempted infiltration from Hamreen mountains toward Tuz Khurmatu region. Three militants were killed, while nine others were wounded,” the source told Baghdad Today.

The militants, according to the source, “attempted fleeing toward west of Tuz Khurmatu and north of Diyala to launch attacks.”

In October, Iraqi troops announced imposing full control on Hamreen mountains that stretch out between Diyala and Kirkuk provinces.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and the Joint Operations Command declared in September the launch of first phase of operations to liberate Hawija and eastern Shirqat, located north of Salahuddin.

The Iraqi army said in September 2016 its forces recaptured the western coast of Shirqat, located south of Mosul, on the west bank of the Tigris river, after being surrounded for months by Iraqi troops and the pro-government Shi’ite militias.

Having recaptured Hawija in Kirkuk, Mosul and Tal Afar in Nineveh as well as Annah and Qaim towns in Anbar, Iraqi troops still have only western Anbar’s towns of Rawa and Qaim remain under the militant’s control.

Several soldiers were injured in a blast caused by remnants of the battles against Islamic State in west of Anbar, a military source said on Friday.

Speaking to AlSumaria News, “bombs, planted by IS, exploded today targeting army troops in al-Rayhana, east of Annah town.”

“The explosion left several soldiers wounded,” the source, who preferred anonymity, said without providing details about the number of the wounded, who were taken to hospital for treatment.

Security troops still comb the liberated regions in western Anbar from the landmines planted during the war against the militant group.

Iraqi army announced the total recapture of the town of Annah and neighboring Rayhana area in September. Troops also liberated Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria.

Operations were launched, late October, to liberate Qaim and Rawa towns, which have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”.

Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced on Friday liberation of Qaim in record time. Operations in Rawa are expected to be launched soon.

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State Sunni extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

One-hundred and fourteen Iraqi civilians were killed, while 244 others were wounded as result of terrorism, violence and armed conflicts during October, according to a monthly release by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate, coming in the first place with 177 civilian casualties (38 killed, 139 injured). Anbar province followed with 36 killed and 55 injured, and then Kirkuk with 18 killed and 33 injured.

On the other hand, Kurdistan Region’s parliament suspended work at its office in Kirkuk citing a security threat to the lives of its employees.

A statement by the office said it suspended its operations in Kirkuk temporarily and relocated to the main building in Erbil “due to the current situation and fear for the lives of its employees”.

“The office has sustained assaults, and most of the files and equipment have been plundered, moveover, the office is unable to raise the Kurdistan flag,” said the statement.

Kurdistan parliament opened an office in Kirkuk in 2016 as means for communication with locals.

Kurdistan Region Government ran a popular referendum in September where it said 92 voted for independence from Iraq. The government in Baghdad has rejected the vote as unconstitutional, and replied with retaking territories where sovereignty is disputed with Erbil, most importantly in Kirkuk. The crisis, which saw world countries voicing rejection of the plebiscite, culminated in a resignation by Kurdistan’s president, Masoud Barzani, late October.

Iraqi forces took over Kirkuk’s government facilities and oil refineries in October mostly without resistance from Kurdish Peshmerga forces, but some incidents saw clashes between both sides.