ERBIl, Kurdistan Region - Two gunmen wearing explosive vests were killed during an armed clash with Iraqi counterterrorism forces in Kirkuk province on Sunday, while another was arrested, according to Iraqi security authorities. Two Iraqi security members were injured in addition to one civilian death. ICTS engaged in the clashes in Pirde town that involved “three terrorists from the remnant of the ISIS terrorist gangs,” the anti-terror agency said in a statement. Two gunmen were killed and a third was arrested, it said. “The operation was conducted under judicial warrants as part of our service’s ongoing security and intelligence efforts to pursue the remnants of terrorist gangs,” said ICTS. The third member was the driver, according to Saad Maan, head of the Security Media Cell. The gunmen were “pursuing a specific target” but their operation was thwarted. Maad didn’t disclose the target for security reasons. Two members of ICTS were injured during the engagement, he said. Rudaw’s reporter on the ground, Hardi Mohammed, said a civilian teenager who worked at a corner shop where the two militants took shelter was killed. Despite suffering territorial defeat in late 2017, ISIS has maintained sleeper cells that have engaged in launch hit-and-run attacks and kidnapped civilians for ransom money. It is primarily active in the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Region and federal Iraq. In mid-September, the Iraqi Media Security Cell announced the arrest of one of the “most wanted terrorist individuals” known by the nom de guerre Abu Sahir in Kirkuk. Earlier in the month, airstrikes by the Iraqi airforce killed another two ISIS members south of the province. Baghdad and Erbil have expanded their security cooperation to track down ISIS suspects hiding in the Kurdistan Region. On September 13, the Region’s security forces (Asayish) announced the arrest of 22 ISIS suspects in Sulaimani and Halabja provinces. [Updated at 8:00 pm]
Iraq17-10-2026Iraq proposes regional connectivity initiative as it assumes Islamic council presidency
