Iraqi military launches searches, arrests in Kirkuk regions
Iraqi army forces entering Kirkuk to retake the province from Kurdish troops.
Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi military has launched a campaign of searches and arrests to tighten security in Kirkuk province, the joint forces media service declared on Thursday.
“Troops from the 9th division and the Kirkuk Operations headquarter started searches and arrests of wanted suspects, imposing security and order at the regions of Hawija, Riyad, al-Rashad and al-Zarka,” the War Media Cell, the media service of the Joint Operations Command, said in a brief announcement.
The announcement comes as reports have told of the assassination of a number of security members in fake security checkpoints erected by remnant Islamic State militants.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the recapture of Islamic State havens in Kirkuk early October.
Victory over Islamic State militants in Iraq was proclaimed early December, ending a three-year campaign to bring down the group’s -self proclaimed “caliphate”.