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Iraqi city of Kirkuk under attack by militants - reports Iraqi city of Kirkuk under attack by militants
(about 1 hour later)
Witnesses in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk say armed militants have attacked a local police compound and that fighting is underway. Militants armed with assault rifles and explosives have attacked a police compound in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk early in an assault that was quickly claimed by the Islamic State group and likely aimed at diverting the authorities’ attention for the battle to retake the Isis-held Mosul.
They say multiple explosions have rocked the city so far in Friday’s assault and that gunfire could be heard ringing through the city. Multiple explosions rocked the city and gun battles were under way, said witnesses in Kirkuk.
Isis said its fighters were behind the attack, which the extremist group said targeted the Iraqi government. The claim was carried by the Isis-run Aamaq news agency and could not immediately be verified.
Local Kurdish television channel Rudaw aired footage showing black smoke rising over the city as extended bursts of automatic gunfire rang out. However, the governor of Kirkuk, Najmadin Karim, was quoted as saying the militants had not seized any government buildings.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The attack comes as the Iraqi government and Kurdish forces are making a major push to drive Islamic State militants from Iraq’s second-largest city of Mosul. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity as they are concerned for their safety. The attack comes as the Iraqi government and Kurdish forces are making a major push to drive Islamic State militants from Iraq’s second-largest city of Mosul.
Kirkuk is an oil rich city some 290kms (180 miles) north of Baghdad that is claimed by both Iraq’s central government and the country’s Kurdish region. Kirkuk is an oil-rich city 180 miles (290km) north of Baghdad that is claimed by both Iraq’s central government and the country’s Kurdish region. It has long been a flashpoint for tension and has been the scene of multiple attacks by Islamic State militants.
Iraqi and Kurdish forces backed by US-led coalition support launched a multi-pronged assault this week to retake Mosul and surrounding areas from Islamic State. The operation is the largest undertaken by the Iraqi military since the 2003 US-led invasion.
Iraqi officials said they had advanced as far as the town of Bartella, nine miles (15km) from Mosul’s outskirts, by Thursday.