ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — At least one police officer was killed and five others were wounded in an attack which ISIS militants staged on Khanaqin's outlying villages.
With the help of villagers, the Iraqi Federal Police repelled ISIS attacks on Monday night in three villages in Khanaqin: Ikhwa, Mohammed Sherbag and Hussein Hama, said Salar Nusaif, a Hashd al-Shaabi commander.
Nusaif detailed a police officer was killed and five others wounded.
“The group was associated with Daesh. The militants briefly controlled Ikhwa village, but was immediately reclaimed by the Iraqi police,” said Nusaif.
Additionally, two rockets were fired in Khanaqin, but landed outside the populated areas.
Khanaqin has seen a recent rise in violence as ISIS remnants have increased their attacks there.
The deterioration of Khanaqin's security has been denounced by locals, who have staged work strikes, closed shops and stayed at home, demanding the return of Kurdistan’s Peshmerga and other security apparatus.
Khanaqin was under administration of the Kurdistan Regional Government until the events of October 2017 when Baghdad sent federal forces to take over the disputed areas.
The district is located in Diyala province approximately 240 kilometers southeast of Erbil.
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