Iraqi police commander killed in bomb blast in Kirkuk
Federal police forces. File photo
Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) An Iraqi police commander was killed when a roadside bomb hit his convoy in Kirkuk province, north of the country, a security source was quoted saying on Tuesday.
The source told Alsumaria News that a Federal Police force was on a search mission in Albu-Najm village, Daquq, south of Kirkuk, when an explosive device went off, killing commander of the 1st regiment of the 16th brigade of the Iraqi police force.
Kirkuk has seen occasional bloody attacks against civilians and security forces since Iraqi forces drove out Kurdish troops following the political standoff resulting from the referendum in which Kurdistan Region voted for independence from Iraq. Most of the attacks have been claimed by Islamic State militants, which, the Iraqi government had said, lost its bastions in Iraq late 2017.
Iraqi premier Haider al-Abadi had ordered military operations in Kirkuk in retaliation for the execution of eight Iraqis by Islamic State militants at the province last month.
The militants had posted a video threatening the execution of the victims if Iraqi authorities to not free female detainees affiliated with the group. The abductee’ corpses were later found outside Kirkuk.