Kirkuk: Islamic State cease to use group’s name in seals
A document attributed to Islamic State’s police service, disqualifying a member for being mentally immature
The source told Alsumaria News that IS had reportedly adopted new seals for their administrative paperwork that do not include the term “Islamic State”, which is normally present at all stamps
Though the source said he was unable to explain the surprise change, he said it could be indicative of steep splits within the group.
Hawija and other neighboring areas in southwest Kirkuk have been under Islamic State control since 2014, when the group emerged to proclaim an Islamic “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria. The group executed dozens of civilians and security members there, forcing thousands to flee homes.
Local tribal leaders and politicians from Kirkuk have mounted pressure on the Iraqi government to hasten with invading Hawija, suggesting that its people were experiencing a humanitarian crisis under the group’s rule. The Iraqi government is currently employing the largest portion of its military effort in Mosul, IS’s capital in Iraq where the group is reportedly cornered in a few square kilometers.