On March 21, ISIS fighters attacked a position of Iraqi security forces (ISF) around the al-Alas oil field southwest of the city of Kirkuk, the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq reported.
Accordign to Amaq, ISIS fighters killed five serivcemembers and destroyed four vehicles belonging to ISF.
Major Ali al-Bayati of the Iraqi Police confirmed to the Chinese Xinhua News Agency that ISIS had attacked an ISF unit, which had been was guarding the al-Alas oil field. However, Maj. Al-Bayati said that ISF had repelled the attack and had not lost any of its servicemembers.
This was the first ISIS attack an Iraqi oil field since Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the final victory over the terrorist organization on December 9, 2017.
Over the last few months, the province of Kirkuk has witnessed an increased number of ISIS attacks against civilians and ISF. In response, the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) and the Iraqi Federal Police (IFP) have conducted a series of security operations around Kirkuk. However, ISIS cells appear to be still able to condcut attacks in the province.
The ISIS attack on the al-Alas oil field in photos:
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