Despite Baghdad’s claim of liberating the entire Iraqi territories, the IS insurgents maintain presence in vast areas of Kirkuk, Nineveh, Salahaddin, Diyala, and Anbar.
The Iraqi security forces struggle to secure the region.
Nazim Hakia, head of Turkmen Democratic Party, was quoted by VOA’s Kurdish service as saying that the Iraqi forces are not capable of confronting the insurgents’ attacks in western Kirkuk, especially around Hawija district.
“The Iraqi forces can only protect themselves during the nighttime. They simply cannot protect the area,” Hakia said.
A member of Hawija administrative council, Ahmed Khurshid, also agreed and revealed that many IDPs have once again escaped their homes near Hawija at the wake of increasing IS attacks and Iraqi forces’ incompetence to defend the civilians.
“A large number of IS militants have returned to the region. It is a vast area and challenging for the security forces to secure,” he added.
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