Two Islamic State members killed in confrontations against police, southwest of Kirkuk
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Yahia Rasool, spokesperson for the center, said, “Federal Police managed to kill two Islamic State members after besieging them during confrontations that occurred following operation in Shalaka and al-Deb villages in Riyad town in Kirkuk.”
On Thursday, three Islamic State members were arrested near Hawija town, southwest of Kirkuk.
Earlier this month, troops of the Counter-Terrorism Service managed, during an operation, to arrest on Thursday a cell composed of 13 militants who had sneaked into Kirkuk. On Wednesday, three members of Islamic State, including a senior intelligence official, were arrested during a security campaign in southwest of Kirkuk. Up to 14 Islamic State members were killed on Tuesday in a series of airstrikes on northwest of Kirkuk province by the U.S.-led international coalition warplanes.
The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.
Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016.