ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least six Islamic State (ISIS) militants disguised as refugees were busted in Kirkuk Wednesday, security sources said.
Also today, clashes erupted between ISIS sleeping cells and Kurdish security forces at an Arab neighborhood in Kirkuk. Two militants were killed, two blew themselves up and two others are missing, said a Rudaw reporter.
The Head of Kirkuk security forces (Asayish) told Rudaw that “six ISIS militants disguised as refugees were among families fleeing from ISIS-controlled territories who infiltrated into Kirkuk,” but were captured shortly afterwards.
Earlier this morning, some 350 families from Hawija fleeing ISIS reached Kirkuk, a Peshmerga official told Rudaw.
On the same day “security forces carried out a raid to bust ISIS cells in Kirkuk, based on information obtained from civilians. Two of the militants were arrested, two detonated their payloads and the other two ran away.”
Officials said they would provide further information about the incident at a news conference after investigations are completed.
Officials say that military preparations for a massive assault to drive ISIS out of Hawija in southern Kirkuk province have been completed.
