Kurdish town at risk of becoming ISIS stronghold due to security vacuum

Shafaq News/ A Kurdish town straddling the administrative boundary between the Federal Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is at risk of becoming a stronghold for Islamic State (ISIS) militants due to security gaps, local and official sources said on Sunday.

The town of Nowgoul, located between the KRG's district of Kifri and the federal government-controlled district of Tuz Khurmatu in eastern Saladin province, has lost about 80% of its population in recent years, according to a local official.

The town's residents have fled due to a combination of factors, including poor living conditions, security concerns, and the difficulty of obtaining official documents.

The town is also located in a sensitive area where the KRG and the Iraqi government have overlapping claims to authority. This has made it difficult for both sides to provide adequate security.

"Nowgoul is on the front line between the KRG and the Iraqi government," said Wahan Ahmed, the director of Nowgoul. "If it becomes empty, it will create a security vacuum that could pose a threat to the surrounding areas."

Ahmed also pointed to the town's lack of water and electricity, as well as the decline of its agricultural sector, as factors that have contributed to the population decline.

"The town's residents have called on the KRG and the Iraqi government to work together to address the security and economic challenges facing Nowgoul," he concluded.