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| Iraq |
| Kurds drive back ISIS attack in Kirkuk |
| 2017-05-31 |
| [ARA News] Iraqi Kurdistan’s security forces of the Asayish on Tuesday repelled an offensive by Islamic State’s (ISIS) jihadists in Kirkuk province, officials reported. A group of ISIS militants tried to infiltrate into the Dibs district in Kirkuk province, after opening fire on Kurdish Asayish forces at the Dibs Checkpoint. “Clashes broke out between the Asayish and Daesh [ISIS] terrorists who were trying to enter the area and conduct terrorist attacks,” the Kurdish security said in a statement. After nearly two hours of clashes, the Kurdish forces were able to repel the attack. According to the Asayish leadership, two members of the group were killed before the withdrawal of several others. This is not the first attempt by ISIS militants to infiltrate into Kirkuk. On 8 May, 2017, Iraqi Kurdistan’s Peshmerga forces repelled an attack by Islamic State’s jihadists on a Kurdish-American airbase near Kirkuk city in northern Iraq. According to the Peshmerga Ministry, five ISIS suicide bombers tried to infiltrate into the Kiwan Airbase west of Kirkuk. “Two of them detonated their explosive belts near the main gate of the Kiwan Airbase after failing to break into the base,” a Peshmerga officer told ARA News at the time. At least two Peshmerga guards lost their lives and six others were wounded in the explosion. The source confirmed that three other suicide bombers were killed by Peshmerga fire before reaching their target. “The strict security measures by the Peshmerga and allied US-led coalition’s forces prevented these terrorists from infiltrating into the base,” the Kurdish official told ARA News. Kiwan Airbase is a main station for the US-led coalition and Kurdish forces in their fight against ISIS extremists in northern Iraq. |
| Posted by:badanov |