Iraqi security forces killed three senior ISIS militants in Kirkuk, including two sector commanders and a battalion chief. Despite losing territory, IS remains active in Iraq, carrying out attacks. The operation reflects ongoing counter-terrorism efforts to eliminate IS remnants threatening Iraq’s stability and security.
Iraqi security forces killed three senior Islamic State (IS) militants in an intelligence-led counter-terrorism operation in the northern province of Kirkuk on Sunday, according to a statement released by the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service.
The operation, based on precise intelligence, resulted in an ambush that led to the deaths of the high-ranking militants. Among the dead were two IS sector commanders and a battalion commander, all operating in the volatile Kirkuk province. The exact location of the incident within the province was not disclosed for security reasons, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
This development marks another significant step in Iraq’s ongoing fight against the remnants of the Islamic State, a group that, despite being militarily defeated in 2017, continues to pose a threat to national and regional security. The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service emphasized in its statement that operations to eliminate IS militants will persist until the group’s presence is fully eradicated from Iraqi territory.
Ongoing Threat of IS in Iraq
Though Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State in December 2017, the militant group has maintained a low-level insurgency, especially in rural, desert, and mountainous areas. IS cells continue to carry out deadly attacks targeting Iraqi security personnel, infrastructure, and civilians. These actions include improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, ambushes, assassinations, and occasional mass casualty bombings.
IS exploits security gaps in areas such as Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala, and along the porous Iraqi-Syrian border. The group frequently takes advantage of poor infrastructure, tribal tensions, and political instability to regroup and launch attacks, further destabilizing already vulnerable communities.
Background: Rise and Fall of ISIS
The Islamic State evolved from the remnants of al-Qaeda in Iraq and other Sunni insurgent factions. In 2014, it declared a so-called “caliphate” and quickly seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, including major cities like Mosul, Fallujah, and Raqqa.
The extremist group committed mass atrocities, enforced harsh Sharia laws, and launched global terror campaigns. However, a determined military campaign by the Iraqi army, Kurdish Peshmerga, and an international coalition led by the United States dismantled IS’s territorial strongholds. By 2017 in Iraq and 2019 in Syria, IS had lost most of its land-based control.
Despite these setbacks, thousands of fighters remained underground, transforming the group from a governing force into an insurgent organization. ISIS continues to inspire radicalization and violence through both online propaganda and on-ground insurgency tactics.
Counter-Terrorism Efforts and Future Challenges
The latest operation in Kirkuk underscores Iraq’s ongoing efforts to secure the country and suppress IS’s reemergence. Iraqi intelligence services, in collaboration with international allies, have intensified surveillance and counter-insurgency operations in known hotspots.
However, Iraq continues to face major challenges, including political instability, budgetary constraints, and gaps in local governance—factors that allow terrorist groups to regroup and recruit.
| Also Read: At Least 49 Killed in Ongoing Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza |
Experts warn that as long as these root causes persist, the threat from IS and similar extremist groups will remain. Continued military pressure, intelligence sharing, and socio-political reforms are essential to prevent a resurgence.
The killing of three senior IS leaders in Kirkuk is a tactical success for Iraqi security forces and a blow to the group’s operational capabilities in the region. But it also highlights the persistence of the IS threat, which continues to haunt Iraq and its neighboring countries despite the group’s military defeat. The path to lasting peace requires not just military victories but also long-term political stability and regional cooperation.
