Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Kirkuk's Operations Command said forces already deployed in the province were sufficient to secure the area, ruling out the need for reinforcements from southern provinces or elsewhere.

General Maad Badai, the province's Operations Commander, told Shafaq News that the command had drawn up proposals to close security gaps between Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga by redeploying units and addressing gaps between their areas of responsibility.

During a visit to Shawan subdistrict, where he met with mukhtars and residents from the area and nearby villages, Badai noted that some villages administratively linked to the subdistrict currently fall outside its security jurisdiction, creating difficulties for their residents.

According to Badai, the security gaps stretch from the villages of Salem south toward Balawa, with some sections spanning about 7 km. Kirkuk authorities are coordinating with the Peshmerga, particularly its 70th Division, which operates in the area.

A joint committee from the Kirkuk Operations Command, Joint Operations Command, and Peshmerga visited the area more than two months ago and prepared proposals to close the gaps. The measures are awaiting approval before they can be implemented.

Rugged terrain east of Altun Kupri and Qara Salem poses a particular security challenge, Badai noted, as mountains and valleys provide hiding places for ISIS fighters. Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga continue to monitor the area, pointing to an operation there more than a month ago that killed an ISIS militant and a member of the security forces.

Following the group's territorial defeat in 2017, ISIS remnants have maintained a presence in rural and mountainous areas of Kirkuk province, particularly across the rugged terrain of the Hamrin Mountains and valleys such as Wadi al-Shay and Wadi Zghaitoun. These areas have served as logistical corridors and hideouts for ISIS cells, allowing them to regroup and launch hit-and-run attacks, ambushes, and IED operations targeting security forces and civilians.

Read more: Tracking down ISIS in Iraq: From rugged terrain to DNA identification