CTS orders probes into deadly Kirkuk operation
Shafaq News- Kirkuk
Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said on Thursday that authorities had opened two investigations into an operation in Altun Kupri, north of Kirkuk province, that killed two civilians and wounded four CTS personnel.
The Service said its forces had pursued two suspected militants in a densely populated residential area, one wearing an explosive belt and the other armed, alleging that they were preparing an attack against civilians.
A clash broke out as CTS forces moved to stop them, killing one suspect and leading to the arrest of the other, according to the statement.
The CTS said the commander-in-chief of the armed forces ordered the formation of a joint investigative committee immediately after the incident, while the head of the Service separately established a fact-finding committee to determine the circumstances and identify any negligence.
It offered condolences to the victims’ families, stressing that protecting civilians was among its primary duties. The Service said it would disclose the findings and take necessary measures based on the investigations.
The Sept. 27 incident has drawn criticism in the Kurdistan Region. Civil society groups and representatives of several political parties called on Wednesday for an independent and impartial investigation into the deaths of two Kurdish teenagers during the operation.
