Four killed in clashes between ISIS, Kurdish security near southern Kifri town
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Clashes late Wednesday night between remnants of the Islamic State and Kurdish security forces near the Kurdistan Region’s southern town of Kifri resulted in several casualties.
The attack by the jihadist group’s sleeper cell took place in Kulajo area, southeast of Kifri, Kurdistan 24 Correspondent Harem Jaff reported, citing Salah Baban, a member of the Qarataqa Council, a nearby town.
The site of the clashes is in one of the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government of Iraq. It is also a contact line between the Kurdish forces and Iraqi forces backed by Shia militias.
“Two members of the Asayish [Kurdish security], a Kurdish member of the counter-terrorism unit, and a resident were martyred in the attack,” Baban reportedly added.
A security source in the area told Kurdistan 24 that five more people were injured in the clashes.
Photos posted on Kurdish social media networks also show mortar shells landed inside Kulajo, wounding some civilians.
“After the arrival of back-up Peshmerga and security forces to the area, the militants fled,” Baban added.
Our heartfelt condolences for the families of those four Peshmerge & security officer who were martyred by ISIS last night in Qaratapa area. ISIS was territorially defeated, but the context for their re-emerge in disputed territories is permissive. Terror is continuous threat.
— Hemin Hawrami (@heminhawrami) August 1, 2019
There was no immediate claim of responsibility by any group for the attack, but insurgency-style flare ups between local forces and Islamic State remnants in the country are common.
Although Iraq announced military victory over the Islamic State in late 2017, the group continues to carry out insurgency attacks, ambushes, and kidnappings in the country.
Editing by Nadia Riva