5 ISIS militants killed in Kirkuk explosion
Dead Islamic State fighters’ bodies.
Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) Five members of the Islamic State were killed Thursday in an explosion inside a tunnel southwest of the province, according to security sources.
The tunnel links the district of Riyadh with the ISIS-held town of Hawija, the source told Alsumaria News, suggesting that the explosion occurred due to the cramming of a huge amount of equipment inside the tunnel.
The deaths included a senior group leader with an Arab nationality, the source said, on condition of anonymity, adding that ISIS members are now hiding in tunnels having abandoned their quarters in Hawija, thanks to airstrikes by Iraqi ad US-led air forces.
Kirkuk has witnessed ongoing violent attacks on civilians and security personnel by ISIS militants who remain in control of several areas of western Kirkuk since 2014.