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A weekly brief of events and news occurred in the disputed territories.
Kirkuk
- The Iraqi Ministry of Health has exempted journalists from health fees, including treatments and surgeries for them and their families. The new law issued by the ministry also applies to private hospitals. However, the law is only for members of the Federation of Journalists of Iraq, depriving dozens of Kurdish journalists in Kirkuk who are part of Kurdistan’sKurdistan’s journalism union.
- On December 17, the Integrity Commission announced that their investigations revealed a case of kerosene distribution theft. According to the Commission, the distribution committee of the oil company distributed 2,610,410 liters of kerosene to displaced families between December 2021 and January 2022. However, after auditing the list, It turned out that most of the names were fake, leading the authorities to arrest the chairman and members of the oil distribution committee.
- After weeks of relative calm, ISIS (De’ash) terrorists launched several attacks in Kirkuk. On December 18, six Da’esh terrorists in military uniforms entered the village of Daham in the Hawija district and introduced themselves as the Iraqi army. According to the locals, they kidnapped a shepherd after searching the village. On December 18, a Da’esh IED hit a convoy of federal police near the Riyad subdistrict. Following the IED explosion, several terrorists clashed with the federal police. As a result, ten officers were killed and a terrorist. The attack sparked a strong reaction across the country. A high-level security delegation arrived in Kirkuk the next day, including General Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces Abdul Amir Yaralla and Deputy Commander of Joint Operations Qais Mohammed. Moreover, in his weekly press conference, prime minister Mohammed Shia’ al Sudani said:” There are fatal mistakes that are made by some security services,” forming an “ inquiry committee” to prepare a report about the incident. Furthermore, on December 21, Da’esh terrorists attacked the Iraqi army’s 51st Brigade with an IED, followed by clashes with light and medium weapons near the Sargaran district. As a result, two soldiers were killed, and three were injured. On December 22, a bomb was planted at the entrance of Sarkari Kurdish Primary School in Daquq district. Security forces defused the bomb and said it was set to explode soon after the school doors would open. On December 22, unknown shooters opened fire in the city on a police checkpoint near the Kobani complex. As a result, two police officers were injured. Lieutenant Kawa Gharib, Kirkuk police commander, told the media that it wasn’t clear whether the attack was a terrorist one or by criminals. Since October 16, 2017, when Baghdad removed the Kurdish forces, the Iraqi forces have been unable to control the province’s security. At the same time, it’s unclear when the joint forces consisting of the Peshmergas and the federal troops will deploy to fill the security vacuum in Kirkuk and other disputed territories.
Khanaqin
- The Iraqi army has deployed troops in the Khanaqin center and set up several new checkpoints in the past week. At the same time, the security file town is expected to be handed over to the local police early next year. The deployment of Iraqi forces is unknown, and security officials said it is just “a new security measure.” Iraq’s prime minister al Sudani vowed to hand over the security of all cities and towns to the local police, starting in 2023, as part of his cabinet’s agenda. However, observers doubt the implementation of the plans due to political motivations moved by certain parties in Baghdad.
Makhmour
- On December 18 and 19, three new battalions of the Iraqi army were deployed to the plains of the Makhmur district. According to a statement issued by the security media cell, the deployment of the regiments was decided by the Mosul Operations Command and preparations for drafting a new security plan.
Shingal (Sinjar)
- Four members of the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) have been missing for four days. According to media reports, the four members went missing while leaving the district of Snuny subdistrict, and the YBS has not provided any information about them. Earlier this year, tensions erupted between the Iraqi forces and the YBS in Sinjar after several YBS members went missing and were later found arrested by the Iraqi army.