835
Kirkuk
- On Friday, May 7, Iranian-backed militias held an anti-US rally in Kirkuk city for the second time in four months. The rally was sponsored by several armed groups within the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) including Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, Badr Brigade, and Iraq’s Hezbollah. During the rally in the Taseen neighborhood, the militants burned both US and Israeli flags on the streets. The Iranian-backed militants became powerful in the disputed territories after October 16, 2017.
- A Kurdish candidate to the Iraqi Parliament of the Islamic Movement named Hassan Shiekhani was threatened with death if he would not withdraw his candidacy. The death threat was anonymous in a letter hung on his front door. Iraq is set to hold parliamentary elections on October 10, 2021. Kirkuk is divided into three electoral districts.
- After three days of joining, the Turkmen Front withdrew from the National Progress Alliance election list headed by the Sunni politician and current Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed al Halbousi. According to a political observer in Kirkuk, the Turkmen Front withdrawal has come after pressure from Turkey, the main backer of the group, due to al Halbousi’s regional ties with the Arab gulf states such as Saudi and the UAE.
- Over the past two weeks, ISIS (Da’esh) terrorists launched daily attacks in Kirkuk province in multi-axes including in Daquq and Hawija districts. Da’esh repeated attacks on the oil fields for the second time in a month including blowing up two more oil fields (No. 177 and 183) of the Bai Hassan oil fields on Wednesday, May 5. On Saturday, May 8 the North Oil Company (NOC) extinguished the fire of the oil well No 183, producing about 1,200 oil barrels per day while the fire on well No. 177 was controlled the next day of the attack.
- On Sunday, May 9, the security forces announced the arrest of three brothers affiliated with Da’esh and responsible for logistics and arms, near Daquq district.
- Due to the province’s security issues, Iraqi Interior Minister Othman al-Ghanmi visited Kirkuk province on Monday. Al-Ghanmi held meetings with security officials of Kirkuk. Since October 16, 2017, when the Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed militias removed the Kurdish forces and from the region, the federal and local police have suffered significant casualties in the disputed territories by Da’esh, especially in Kirkuk’s Hawija district. Al-Ghanmi’s Kirkuk visit is the third since he assumed office and the second since February. Furthermore, Sa’ad al Halfiy, Iraqi lawmakers, and Defense Committee member warned of “security issue” in Kirkuk before elections by Da’esh.
- The Police Department to Combat Narcotics and psychotropic substances busted a drug gang consisting of five members and possessing 15 kilos of crystal meth in Kirkuk city. Since October 16, 2017, Kirkuk has become one of the main drug traffics in the country for drug trade brought from Iran.
Tuz Khurmatu
- On Tuesday, May 11, Dae’sh attacks on Peshmerga positions between Tuz Khurmatu and Kifri resulted in the death of one Peshmerga who suffered severe injuries. The terrorists used sniper rifles near Balaga village where Pehsmera’s 116 Soran division is stationed.
Khanaqin
- 39 Candidates are running for the parliamentary elections in Khanaqin. The Independent High Electoral Commission announced that three seats are allocated for Khanaqin including one quota for women. Khanaqin has 205,557 eligible voters and the 39 candidates consist of several independent candidates.
Makhmour
- Iraq’s Security Media Cell announced that Da’esh attacked the security forces seven times from May 5 to May 11, as a result, three soldiers were killed and six were wounded.
Shingal
- Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert called for the full implementation of the security agreement over Shingal (Sinjar) between Baghdad and Erbil. The agreement signed by Baghdad and Erbil in December of 2020, calls for joint security coordination but it remains unimplemented due to the presence of victory of security forces.