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IS militants attack Iraqi city of Kirkuk as Mosul offensive continues IS militants attack Iraqi city of Kirkuk as Mosul offensive continues
(about 2 hours later)
Islamic State (IS) militants have raided government buildings in and around the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Fighters from the self-styled Islamic State (IS) group have attacked government buildings in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, killing at least six police officers and 16 civilians.
Iraqi media reported that suicide bombers had attacked police stations and a power station, but that security forces had repelled the assaults. Twelve IS jihadists were also killed in the dawn attack.
A news agency affiliated to IS claimed its fighters had broken into Kirkuk's town hall and seized a central hotel. Hours later, witnesses said gunfire was still being heard and militants were walking openly through the streets.
The attacks come as Iraqi pro-government forces continue an offensive to retake IS-held Mosul, to the north. Separately, Iraqi pro-government forces are continuing an offensive to re-take the IS-held city of Mosul to the north.
IS militants were reported to have set fire to a chemical plant south of Mosul as they retreated on Thursday. A news agency affiliated to IS claimed its fighters had broken into Kirkuk's town hall and seized a central hotel, but officials denied this.
Sources said they started the fire at the sulphur plant in al-Mishraq deliberately when they were being pushed out of the area by security forces. The governor of Kirkuk said the attack was carried out by IS sleeper cells.
Dawn attack Local media said a state of emergency had been declared and Friday sermons cancelled as mosques remained closed.
There are conflicting reports about the scale and extent of the attack on Kirkuk. IS fighters also stormed a power plant to the north of Kirkuk. A mayor in Kirkuk said 16 people were killed. Iranian employees are believed to be among the dead.
A local TV channel broadcast footage of black smoke rising over the city, with automatic gunfire audible. The power plant, which is still under construction, is being built by an Iranian company.
The Beirut-based newspaper al-Sumaria reported that during the dawn attack, three suicide bombers had blown themselves up. In the city itself, militants concentrated on targets linked to the Iraqi government.
A district police chief, Brig Gen Sarhad Qadir, told the BBC that militants and a number of suicide bombers had attacked Kirkuk's emergency police building, an old police directorate building, another police station, a political party headquarters and a power station in nearby Dibis that was still under construction. A district police chief, Brig Gen Sarhad Qadir, told the BBC that militants and a number of suicide bombers had attacked three police buildings and the headquarters of a political party in Kirkuk.
"All of the militants who attacked the police emergency building and the old building of the Kirkuk police directorate have been killed, but a number of other militants are still in Dumez district," he said."All of the militants who attacked the police emergency building and the old building of the Kirkuk police directorate have been killed, but a number of other militants are still in Dumez district," he said.
Kirkuk police sources said three Iranian workers at the power station were killed, along with eight Iraqis. But Kirkuk's governor, Najm al-Din Karim, told the Kurdish news agency, Rudaw, that Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and counter-terrorism forces were completely in control of the situation.
Kirkuk's governor, Najm al-Din Karim, told the Kurdish news agency, Rudaw, that Kurdish Peshmerga and counter-terrorism forces were completely in control of the situation, and said the attackers were from IS sleeper cells. He told the agency that the attackers, from IS sleeper cells, had been "foiled" and reasoned for the motives behind the attack: "Because of the ongoing Mosul offensive, they may want to create a situation where forces would be withdrawn from there and the focus shifted to Kirkuk. Also because they are being defeated in Mosul, they want to boost their morale with these kinds of actions."
Security forces had killed six suicide bombers, Mr Karim added. In the latest on the Mosul offensive, Iraqi government forces said on Friday that they had regained control of two villages - al-Awaizat and Nanaha - south of Mosul, evacuating 65 displaced families and killing 15 IS militants.
A local TV channel broadcast footage of black smoke rising over the city, with automatic gunfire audible. Witnesses told the AFP news agency they had seen dozens of gunmen carrying grenades and rifles walking through the streets.
A security source meanwhile told the BBC there were ongoing clashes between IS militants and Peshmerga in the south and south-west of Kirkuk.A security source meanwhile told the BBC there were ongoing clashes between IS militants and Peshmerga in the south and south-west of Kirkuk.
Kirkuk, a multi-ethnic city that is located about 180 miles (290km) north of the capital Baghdad and 105 miles (170km) south-east of Mosul. It is claimed both by Iraq's central government and by the country's Kurds.Kirkuk, a multi-ethnic city that is located about 180 miles (290km) north of the capital Baghdad and 105 miles (170km) south-east of Mosul. It is claimed both by Iraq's central government and by the country's Kurds.
It is thought the IS supporters behind this attack may have originally entered Kirkuk posing as displaced villagers fleeing nearby fighting.