Five servicemen injured in ambush set by Islamic State in Kirkuk
Iraqi soldiers carry a victim of an armed attack
Kirkuk (Iraqinews.com) – Five Iraqi servicemen were injured in an ambush set by the Islamic State (IS) group in oil-rich Kirkuk, a security source was quoted as saying.
“The five were on a vacation near al-Riyadh district in Kirkuk when they came under an attack by the Islamic State late on Tuesday,” the source told Alghad Press.
“The attackers first targeted the vehicle carrying the soldiers with an RBG7 missile, then they opened fire at the soldiers while getting out of the car,” the source noted.
He added that the five soldiers were moved to the Kirkuk General Hospital for treatment.
The Islamic State group appeared on the international scene in 2014 when it seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, declaring the establishment of an Islamic “caliphate” from Mosul city.
Later on, the group has become notorious for its brutality, including mass killings, abductions and beheadings, prompting the U.S. to lead an international coalition to destroy it.
Despite the group’s crushing defeat at its main havens across Iraq, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks against troops with security reports warning that the militant group still poses a threat against stability in the country.
Kirkuk officials previously urged reinforcing military troops in the south and west of the province, as the region still has Islamic State members who escaped during liberation of Hawija to remote areas.