New Kirkuk Operation Commander: PMF will participate in ‘security duties’
The Shia-dominated Hashd al-Shaabi (PMF) militias will participate in the “security duties” in Kirkuk, the Commander of the Joint Operation Command in Kirkuk province, Maj. Gen. Sa’ad Harba, said on Tuesday.
His comments came during an interview with the militia’s war media on Tuesday following a military meeting with all forces in Kirkuk the day before.
Harba has chosen three personal assistants, one of which is a PMF commander named Maj. Gen. Sair Bashiri. The other two assistants are from the Federal Police and Iraqi Prime Minister’s special brigade, a security source from Kirkuk told Kurdistan 24.
“The Joint Operation Command in the province of Kirkuk will carry out a redeployment of all security units in Kirkuk, as well as oversee the work of all units within and outside the province in order to provide security and unified information,” Harba said.
“There will be joint operations over the next few days and Hashd al-Shaabi will be involved in our duties in all areas of Kirkuk so that there will be homogeneity in the performance of duties,” he added.
Although Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State in December 2017, the extremist group continues to launch regular attacks, including bombings, kidnappings, and ambushes against both security forces and civilians in areas liberated from its control as well as in major cities it never took over like Baghdad and Kirkuk.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany
