Islamic State group claims responsibility for killing, injuring 103 Iraqi troops
Islamic State militants
Kirkuk (Iraqinews.com) – Islamic State (IS) group claimed that its militants killed and injured 103 government troops within a month in different Iraqi cities.
In an online statement, a copy of which was obtained by IKH News, the militant group said, “Another 13 Iraqi troops were taken captive during the period from February 19 to March 21.”
The militant group further claimed that its insurgents destroyed 12 armored vehicles and an oil tank during the aforementioned period.
Despite the victory over IS last year, observers say the militant group is still constituting a security threat even after the group’s defeat at its main havens across Iraqi provinces.
Iraq declared victory over Islamic State in December with the help of a US-led alliance, having retaken all the territory captured by the extremists in 2014 and 2015.
Isolated cells believed to be linked to the Islamic State group remain active in some parts of the country. In recent weeks, suspected Islamic State insurgents have carried out several attacks targeting security forces in the areas north-west of Kirkuk.
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.