150 ISIS militants killed: How joint security forces ensure stability from Kirkuk to Nineveh

Shafaq News/ Iraqi and Kurdish forces have intensified operations against ISIS, killing over 100 militants in a series of airstrikes and coordinated efforts. The campaign, bolstered by intelligence sharing between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, targeted key hideouts in Kirkuk, Diyala, and Saladin provinces, dismantling sleeper cells and preventing the group from regaining strength.

Joint Operations Command Strikes

Many areas continue to be battlegrounds in the fight against ISIS, with operations aimed at eliminating any opportunities the group could exploit to regain influence. Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji, spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command (JOC), told Shafaq News Agency, "JOC has played a crucial role in eliminating ISIS elements, especially in areas of mutual concern between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region."

One of the primary challenges has been the deployment of ISIS fighters in rugged and geographically complex areas. Iraqi warplanes launched intensive airstrikes targeting positions on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Diyala, and Saladin, resulting in the deaths of 150 militants, including several leaders.

According to al-Khafaji, these strikes were instrumental in preventing ISIS from establishing footholds in the region.

The Role of Coordination: Peshmerga and Iraqi Forces

The Major General revealed that operations rooms have been established in key locations, including Kirkuk, the Kurdistan Region, Nineveh, and Khanaqin, to ensure seamless coordination between Iraqi federal forces and the Peshmerga. "These rooms operate continuously to coordinate security and intelligence efforts…Two brigades—comprising the Iraqi army and Peshmerga forces—have been deployed to reinforce areas where ISIS movements have been detected.”

Al-Khafaji praised the collaboration with Kurdistan’s security forces, including the Asayish, which has been essential in tracking down terrorist groups. He emphasized that “intelligence sharing has significantly contributed to the dismantling of sleeper cells and the prevention of ISIS’s resurgence.”

Escalation of Threats

The escalation of military operations comes with many noticeable field indicators from ISIS. Last July, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that ISIS had doubled its attacks in Iraq and Syria since the beginning of 2024 in an attempt to reassert itself. According to CENTCOM, the group has carried out 153 attacks this year, more than double the total in 2023.

In Kirkuk, Nashat Shahwez, head of the Security Committee in the Provincial Council, told Shafaq News Agency, "The security forces are working professionally, which reflects positively on the overall stability in Kirkuk."

He highlighted the role of coordinated military units in destroying ISIS hideouts and killing remnants hiding in caves in the Hamrin Mountains and the valleys of Shay, Zghaitun, and Zarka.

"The security forces are working professionally, which reflects positively on the overall security stability in Kirkuk’s areas.”

He, as Al-Khafaji, shed light on the Coordination between military units, confirming that it has significantly contributed to the destruction of ISIS hideouts, and the killing of its remnants, who are hiding in Hamrin Mountains, the valleys of Shay, Zghaitun, and Zarka.

Dismantling ISIS Cells

Shahwez credited joint efforts between security forces in Kirkuk and the Kurdistan Region’s Asayish for dismantling terrorist cells. “This coordination sends a reassuring message to the people of Kirkuk about the dedication of security agencies,” he said, citing improved monitoring and the arrest of individuals attempting to disrupt stability.

Maytham al-Amerli, mayor of Amerli district in Saladin province, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the high preparedness and professionalism of security forces have prevented breaches. “The situation today is different from previous years,” he told Shafaq News Agency, adding that ISIS’s strength has significantly declined.

A United Nations report earlier this year estimated ISIS’s combined strength in Iraq and Syria to range between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters. However, Al-Amerli pointed out that the group’s activities have been reduced to small detachments operating in remote areas, including the outskirts of Lake Amerli, the Zarka area, and the Hamrin mountain range.

Remaining Challenges and Areas of Operation

Ali Khalil, a security expert, explained that most ISIS movements occur between Kirkuk, Diyala, Saladin, and Nineveh provinces.

“A vast area witnessed intensive operations through the Hamrin Mountains, the Al-Azim region, the Shay Valley, the Zghaitun Valley, and the border strip between the Dibis district towards Erbil, along the Dibis-Tun Kuweiri line, as well as the outskirts of Nineveh and Saladin, and the Al-Jazira region in Nineveh.” He told Shafaq News.

“Intensive operations, including airstrikes, have weakened ISIS groups but have not eradicated them entirely.”

Khalil highlighted the need for sustained efforts, noting that gaps between federal and Kurdish-controlled areas remain a concern.

Al-Amerli stated that three brigades—the 52nd and 63rd of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and an Iraqi army brigade—are securing the Amerli district and surrounding areas.

“Security is stable,” he said, crediting the operational rooms overseeing the district’s safety. These efforts, he argued, “are vital to maintaining control along international roads and preventing ISIS infiltration.”

On the other hand, Nashat Shahwez pointed out that "there are security gaps between Kirkuk and the areas bordering the Kurdistan Region, particularly towards Erbil and Al-Sulaymaniyah”, and as a solution, he assumed that these security gaps need to be addressed by fully deploying the joint forces, including both federal forces and the Peshmerga, to eliminate any potential areas where the organization might attempt to regroup in.

As regional dynamics continue to evolve, a key question persists: Will ISIS exploit opportunities to rebuild, or will the coordinated operations between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region succeed in rooting the group out of its remaining strongholds?