File image.
On January 18, ISIS’s official news agency, Amaq, released photos from a recent attack that targeted a police patrol in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk.
The attack took place in the mountains region of Jabal Bawr on January 17. Two policemen were killed during the attack. Both of them were shot multiple times by ISIS terrorists. Amaq’s photos show the dead bodies of the policemen.
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The Iraqi military, intelligence and security forces stepped up counter-terrorism operations in Kirkuk last year. However, ISIS cells are still active in the province.
The terrorists’ presence in Kirkuk is especially strong along the administrative border with the Kurdistan Region. A territorial dispute between the Iraqi federal government the regional government in Kurdistan have left most of the border area unguarded.
Two of ISIS deadliest attacks in Iraq during December took place in Kirkuk. On December 17, at least nine officers of the Iraqi Federal Police were killed and two others were wounded when their convoy was ambushed by terrorists near Kirkuk city. Later on December 21, the terrorists attacked an Iraqi military post near the village of Butk, some 45 kilometers to the northwest of Kirkuk city. Two service members were killed and three others were wounded back then.
ISIS insurgency in Kirkuk and the rest of Iraq will likely continue throughout this year, despite the immense effort of government forces.