Peshmerga conscript, two IS militants killed in attack west of Kirkuk
Kurdish Peshmerga forces.
“IS militants launched an attack early on the day targeting Peshmerga troops deployed, west of Kirkuk,” a security source told Mawazin News. “They raised white flags as kind of camouflage as if they were going to surrender before they approached the troops and opened fire.”
“The troops repelled the attack, killing two militants and arresting a third,” the source said. “One of the Peshmerga conscripts was killed.”
On Saturday, the Joint Operations Command said 385 IS members, including five snipers, were killed during the second phase of offensive to liberate Hawija, southwest of Kirkuk. 150 villages in Hawija were freed, in addition to al-Abbassi region and the northern side of the town. Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, commander of Hawija Operations, said Federal Police, the rapid Response forces and PMFs accomplished their targets of the second phase.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi declared last week liberation of Hawija. The second phase of the offensive was launched in late September.
According to Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell, 557 IS militants were killed, while more than 100 villages and regions were liberated during the first phase, which launched on September 24th.
Having recaptured Hawija, Iraqi troops still have only western Anbar’s towns of Rawa and Qaim remain under the militant’s control.