Islamic State kills four Kakai Kurds, kidnaps others southern Kirkuk

Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State has killed four civilians and kidnapped others as the militants infiltrated into a village of Kakai Kurds, south of Kirkuk, Kurdish security source was quoted saying.

The militants sneaked late on Wednesday into Chechi village in Daquq town and stormed a house there, a source from the Kurdish security forces Asayish told Shafaq News on Thursday.

The militants killed four persons, including two women, and abducted four others from the family living in the same house, the source added.

Islamic State has executed hundreds of civilians and security members since it took over large areas in Iraq to proclaim a self-styled “Islamic Caliphate”. The executions of the victims were mainly blamed over accusations of collaboration with the Iraqi security authorities or for attempting to flee areas under its control.

Kirkuk has a mixed population of Kurds, Turkmens and Arabs. The southern and western regions in the province have been under IS control since June 2014.

IS holds pivotal regions that link between each of Diyala, Salahuddin and Kirkuk, posing threats to the liberated regions.

Several anonymous attacks against IS members have been reported over the past months since Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition, launched a campaign to retake areas occupied by IS militants.