Screen grab from Amaq’s video.
Late on June 24, ISIS cells carried out a well-planned attack on the Iraqi Federal Police in the area of Daquq in the southern countryside of Kirkuk.
The terrorists first raided a police checkpoint located in the village Ghidah. A police officer was killed and another was injured. The terrorists also destroyed a thermal surveillance camera that was installed in the checkpoint.
After the raid, the terrorists ambushed police reinforcements near the checkpoint. A Humvee armored vehicle was destroyed with an improvised explosive device and a rocket-propelled grenade. The terrorists killed five police officers in the ambush.
ISIS news agency Amaq said that the terrorists seized two assault rifles and a RPG-7 launcher before fleeing the scene. The agency shared horrific footage of the attack on June 26.
While Amaq claimed that a total of six policemen were killed in the daring attack, Iraqi sources said only five lost their lives fighting ISIS terrorists.
ISIS cells have been very active in Kirkuk, especially in Daquq. Recently, local sources revealed that the group displaced the residents of seven towns and villages in the area. The terrorists attack the locals to steal supplies and food on a regular basis.
The terrorist group’s growing presence in Kirkuk’s countryside requires a serious response by Iraqi government forces. This is yet to happen.
