Iraqi Federal Police thwart terrorist attack, southwest of Kirkuk
The explosion of a booby-trapped vehicle. File photo.
In a statement on Sunday, Lt. Gen. Shaker Jawdat, Federal Police chief, said troops “were able, today, to foil an attack by a booby-trapped lorry, through which militants tried to target security troops on duty inspecting villages in Hawija town, southwest of Kirkuk.”
On Saturday, the Iraqi counter-terrorism forces announced arresting the perpetrators of an explosion caused by booby-trapped vehicle in al-Mamdouda region, east of Kirkuk. The attack left eight people injured. News reports quoted sources on Thursday saying that six people were killed and injured in a bomb blast, central Kirkuk.
Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016.
Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country. The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.
In December, Iraq announced gaining control on all the territories that were captured by Islamic State, since 2014.