IS Yemeni women executioner killed by unknown gunmen in Kirkuk

Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) A Yemeni militant with the Islamic State in charge of executing women was killed by unknown attackers in southwestern Kirkuk, a security source in the province was quoted saying Sunday.

Ikhnews quoted the source saying that the gunmen invaded the militant’s home in central Hawija, a prominent IS stronghold, before fleeing to an unknown destination.

The deceased was in charge of executing women who had attempted to escape the region months earlier.

IS members have been in control over Hawija, southwest of Kirkuk since 2014, when the group came to the scene, took over several Iraqi regions and proclaimed an Islamic “caliphate”.

Iraqi government forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and paramilitary troops, launched an offensive in October to retake the city of Mosul, Islamic State’s largest urban stronghold in Iraq. The Iraqi government is planning to aim at other IS havens across Iraq after Mosul.

Local officials in Hawija have repeatedly urged the government to hasten with the liberation of their town.

Since taking over Iraqi regions, Islamic State members have executed dozens of civilians, security members and many of its own members for various reasons ranging from collaboration with security forces to attempting to flee areas under the group’s control.

In January, another “women executioner”, a Saudi national, was also reportedly killed by unknown attackers in western Mosul