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Armed civilians join fight against Daesh surprise attack in Kirkuk

October 21, 2016 at 1:04 pm

Armed civilians have joined security forces in Kirkuk to hunt down Daesh fighters, the Kurdish Rudaw news agency reported today. Daesh militants are still at large and are active in parts of the oil-rich city 170 kilometres southeast of Daesh-held Mosul.

Several Daesh militants launched a ferocious counterattack against targets and government buildings in and around Kirkuk in the early hours of this morning, leading to intense clashes with security forces.

According to Rudaw, the militants attacked a police station and occupied it for a few hours before they were driven out by special anti-terrorism forces. At least three car bombs were detonated by the group and Kirkuk’s police chief asked residents of the city to stay indoors.

Where is Mosul?

Mosul is the second biggest city in Iraq. It is located in the north of the country.

What is happening there?

Since June 2014 it has been under the control of Daesh.

What’s happening now?

Iraqi and Kurdish forces, backed by an international coalition which is led by the US, are battling to recapture the city from Daesh.

Daesh’s assault in Kirkuk has taken place as the Iraqi government and its Kurdish allies attempt to prise Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, from the militants’ control. The attack on Kirkuk represents a troubling development, in that rear areas have been exposed as being vulnerable to Daesh attack.

Daesh also attacked the Dibis power station, killing all the security personnel inside and several Iranian contractors, according to the group’s Amaq news agency.

Governor of Kirkuk Najm Al-Din Karim told Rudaw that his administration had expected Daesh “sleeper cells” would make a move one day in Kirkuk, which is what they are doing “now that the Mosul offensive has started.”

Although they were asked to remain indoors, armed civilians joined the hunt for Daesh militants in and around the city especially after Kirkuk’s main religious authority announced that all mosques would be closed and Friday prayers cancelled due to security concerns.

Kirkuk residents shot videos that have since been circulated on Iraqi social media networks. In one video, Iraqi civilians can be heard talking about the disturbances, before the crackle of gunfire causes some women to abruptly scream.

MEMO could not independently verify the content of the videos.