ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – ISIS militants blew up an oil pipeline in Kirkuk on Sunday, according to an official. Fire crews are still working to bring the blaze under control.
"This morning, ISIS militants with two bombs blew up an oil pipeline near Qaradara village between Kirkuk and Dubiz," Idris Rafaat, head of the Kirkuk Asayesh (security), told Rudaw.
A large fire is still burning, he said.
Rafaat is currently based in the Kurdistan Region having left Kirkuk when the city came under control of Iraqi federal forces and the Kurdish forces departed the disputed areas.
He said the Federal Police are unable to provide security in the area.
"Due to the Peshmerga not existing in the region, a security vacuum has been created and the Iraqi Federal Police cannot control it as they are strangers in the area,” Rafaat said.
ISIS militants, who are hiding out in the Hamrin mountain areas south of Kirkuk, have seized the opportunity of the security vacuum to carry out sporadic hit-and-run attacks, he explained.
Though the terror group was officially declared defeated in Iraq late last year, remnants and sleeper cells are still a serious security threat.
"This morning, ISIS militants with two bombs blew up an oil pipeline near Qaradara village between Kirkuk and Dubiz," Idris Rafaat, head of the Kirkuk Asayesh (security), told Rudaw.
A large fire is still burning, he said.
Rafaat is currently based in the Kurdistan Region having left Kirkuk when the city came under control of Iraqi federal forces and the Kurdish forces departed the disputed areas.
He said the Federal Police are unable to provide security in the area.
"Due to the Peshmerga not existing in the region, a security vacuum has been created and the Iraqi Federal Police cannot control it as they are strangers in the area,” Rafaat said.
ISIS militants, who are hiding out in the Hamrin mountain areas south of Kirkuk, have seized the opportunity of the security vacuum to carry out sporadic hit-and-run attacks, he explained.
Though the terror group was officially declared defeated in Iraq late last year, remnants and sleeper cells are still a serious security threat.
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