Iraq’s Hawija turns dark as Islamic State continues to target electricity pylons

Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) – Islamic State militants blew up on Monday an electricity pylon in Hawija district in Kirkuk, causing power outage in the former IS bastion.

“A group of IS militants placed explosives under an electricity pylon in al-Siha village in Hawija, causing it to collapse,” a security source told Ayn Al Iraq News website.

“The explosion left Hawija district in complete darkness,” the source said, adding that technical teams rushed to the site in order to fix and maintain the destroyed pylons.

IS has blown up several electricity pylons in many of Kirkuk cities in a bid to cut electricity at cities controlled by Iraqi troops and tribes.

Last year, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared that Iraqi troops recaptured Hawija, a main town held by Islamic State in the country.

The town had fallen to Islamic State in June 2014, when the militant group seized control of much of northern and western Iraq and proclaimed the creation of a self-styled “caliphate”.

There, Islamic State’s reign forced thousands to flee to refugee camps, while hundreds had been executed by the group for attempting to escape the area or contacting security forces.

The offensive on Hawija began on September 21 and involved army, police and special forces units, as well as the Shia-led paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces.