Islamic State-held region, surrounding villages in Kirkuk freed

Hawija (IraqiNews.com) The first region in Islamic State’s holdout in Kirkuk and other villages in southwest of the province have been liberated, according to pro-government paramilitary troops.

“Joint troops managed to liberate al-Zab region, southwest of Kirkuk, and seven villages,” Brig. Gen. Khalaf Ibrahim, commander with al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) in Hawija, told AlSumaria News. “The region is the first to be liberated by troops there.”

“Troops will stop after liberation of al-Zab and villages in its vicinity before invading the center of the town as well as regions of al-Riyadh, al-Abbassi and al-Rashad within the coming 48 hours,” he added.

The group reportedly carried out collective executions of members who attempted to flee battles in Salahuddin to Hawija, where parallel security operations are running to retake militants-held regions.

On Thursday, Brig. Gen. Yahia Rasoul, spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said the number of Islamic State members in Hawija falls between 800 and 1500.

Previously on the same day, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and Lt.Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, deputy commander of the Joint Operations Command announced launch of first phase of operations to liberate Hawija and western Shirqat. Several villages in Shirqat have been retaken.

Hawija and other neighboring regions, west of Kirkuk, have been held by IS since mid-2014, when the group emerged to proclaim an Islamic “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria.