ISIS militants killed in ‘revenge’ operation in Diyala

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Islamic State (ISIS) militants were killed in a ground and air operation between Kurdish Peshmerga and French forces in areas between the Diyala districts of Kifri and Tuz Khurmatu, the Kurdistan Region’s vice president said on Wednesday.

“In a land and air operation in Kawer Kawa - Dawe region, the brave Peshmerga of the Kurdistan Region cleared a vast area of Daesh [ISIS]; a number of Daesh terrorists were killed, a number of their residential bases were destroyed, and a large number of weapons and important information were seized,” Sheikh Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa said in a statement published to Facebook.

The offensive is “in revenge” for the recent deaths of four Peshmerga troops in ISIS attacks, according to the vice president, who later told Rudaw that six militants have been killed so far.

“According to information we have so far, six Daesh are killed,” he told Rudaw.

Major General Mohammed Rostam, deputy head of Peshmerga’s Front Two in Kifri district, confirmed the operation to Rudaw, saying that a number of ISIS militants had been killed.

The “intense 24-hour operation,” was carried out by the special “Golden Forces” of the Peshmerga’s Unit 70 under the supervision of French special forces, added Sheikh Mustafa, who said no Peshmerga or French forces were harmed. The operation is ongoing, a Peshmerga major general told Rudaw English.

Three Kurdish fighters were killed in an ISIS attack on a Peshmerga position in Kirkuk province last month, and two others were injured.

In a more recent attack on May 11, another Peshmerga died one day after he was shot during an ISIS attack on Peshmerga forces in Kifri district.

ISIS militants have exploited a security vacuum in territory disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, including Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala and Salahaddin – where sleeper cells have been able to thrive and launch attacks on both military forces and civilians.

After deadly attacks on Iraqi and Peshmerga forces this spring, Erbil and Baghdad agreed in May to coordinate on security in these areas. A Joint Cooperation Centre was established in Diyala province where Peshmerga officers began working with Iraqi forces at Kirkuk’s K1 military base.

Another two centres were established in Makhmour and Nineveh province.

Additional reporting by Nahro Mohammed and Sangar Abdulrahman