KIRKUK, Kurdistan Region – Five ISIS militants were arrested in Kirkuk on Monday as the provincial governor announced that at least 74 militants who had infiltrated the city and staged clashes with security forces and civilians were killed over the course of three days.
“More than 74 terrorists were killed in the clashes,” said Karim, adding that “many others have been captured including the mastermind and leader of the group.”
The Kurdistan Region’s Security Council announced Monday that the leader of the group was was killed and another five ISIS militants hiding inside Kirkuk were discovered and captured.
"Abu Qudama, a senior #ISIL military figure in Hawija, led the group responsible for Friday's attack. Today he was killed in a firefight," tweeted the Kurdistan Region Security Council on Monday.
In a separate statement on Monday, the Security Council announced, “In the early hours of today, five ISIS militants were arrested inside Kirkuk by counter-terror forces from the Kurdistan Region Security Council in coordination with Kirkuk security forces.”
An estimated 100 ISIS militants staged an attack on the city Friday. Clashes continued through Saturday, and on Sunday security forces shot one suspected militant while a second detonated a suicide belt.
Tens of people, including many from the security forces, were killed in the attack on the city.
Security forces and residents now face the task of cleaning up and restoring a sense of security to the city.
Karim urged the residents of Kirkuk to be “careful and have coordination with security forces to protect the security of the city.”
He also expressed his appreciation for “the role of Kirkuk residents who helped the security forces in quickly foiling the ISIS plot.”
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