“The militants have crossed to the village of Qaya following the attack. They later seized the village and fighting has taken place in the village near the Naqishbandi checkpoint and the village of Husseinia. The sound of shots has been heard in the village of Kolajo,” Lt. Col. Ahmad Mustafa from the Peshmerga intelligence unit in Khanaqin told Rudaw.
“ISIS militants also attacked Hashd al-Shaabi forces in Qaratapa this evening, but there were no casualties,” he added.
Over the past three months, 15 have been killed – civilians and members of the security forces – and 13 more have injured in clashes and explosions in Khanaqin and surrounding areas.
Tens of villages have also fully evacuated because of the persistent threat of ISIS.
The militant group was declared defeated in Iraq more than a year ago, but sleeper cells and small groups of the jihadists are still active, especially in the security gaps between the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces.
