Four Islamic State members arrested after attempting infiltration, southwest of Kirkuk

Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) The pro-government paramilitary troops have arrested four Islamic State members as they attempted infiltration into southwest of Kirkuk, a security source was quoted saying on Monday.

“Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) managed to arrest four IS members near Hawija in Kirkuk,” the source told SNG website.

“The militants were disguising in civilian’s outfits and attempted infiltration into Hawija from the desert of Salahuddin,” the source said adding that information by the intelligence helped to recognize and arrest them.

On Sunday, around 20 IS militants were killed as Iraqi forces, backed by PMFs, clashed with IS militants at al-Saadiya village in Hawija, news reported quoted sources as saying. 15 others are still trapped inside the village. The media service of the Popular Mobilization Forces said on Saturday that troops, assisted by Federal Police troops, killed five members of IS and besieged two others during a raid on their hideout in Tuwairiya, Abbasi, northwest of Hawija.

Last month, IS claimed responsibility for killing twenty PMFs in an ambush, southwest of al-Riyad town in Kirkuk.
Kirkuk Governor Rakan al-Jabouri had warned that Islamic State still poses a serious threat to the security of the province, saying that the militants are still active in Kirkuk’s remote areas and farms around villages.