SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraqi Security Media Cell (SMC) Sunday announced that the Iraqi forces managed to conduct airstrikes, targeting Islamic State militants’ hideouts in the Hamrin mountain ranges.
The SMC said in coordination with Iraqi military Intelligence detected Islamic state terrorists movements in Hamrin mountain of Diyala governorate.
At least two airstrikes by the Iraqi air forces, using F-16 planes targeted the terrorists’ hideouts in the area, destructing their sites, the SMC in a statement said without mentioning whether it killed any terrorists or not.
Islamic State controlled roughly a third of Iraq between 2014 and 2017. But it was driven out of most of the territory it once held, after 2017.
However, still, many of the remnants of IS militants are still operating in the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government.
Hamrin mountain range and the surrounding remote areas are turned into a hotspot for the Islamic State terrorist militants since then, the mount is also a part of disputed territories.
Terrorists have exploited the area’s security vacuum which the Iraqi forces cannot handle and the Federal government does not allow the Kurdish force to deploy there.
Therefore, the terrorists are able to pursue their own harmful actions frequently, which undermines the country’s security.
