Several Islamic State leaders, including deputy chief in charge of the militants affairs, were killed in southwestern Kirkuk, a local source was quoted saying. Speaking to Baghdad Today on Monday, the source said, “several residents from Hawija, southwestern Kirkuk, attacked militants gathering inside a house in al-Askari district in the town.”

“The attack left four leaders, including deputy chief in charge of the militants affairs in Hawija,” the source, who preferred anonymity, added. This came after millions of messages were airdropped by Iraqi jets over the past few days in Hawija, the source said. “Most of the residents in central Hawija remained away from IS gatherings, despite being forced to stay near.”

In related news, another local source told AlSumaria News that the militant group imposed partial curfew in the town after attacking house of the leader in charge of the group’s security affairs. “IS imposed partial curfew in some of the eastern districts in Hawija in the wake of an attack by a hand grenade against house of the group’s security affairs chief, which left one of his sons wounded,” the source said.

“Attacks against houses of the group’s leaders and militants have been on the rise in Hawija and its vicinity,” the source, who asked to be anonymous, added. Hawija and other neighboring regions, west of Kirkuk, have been held by IS since mid-2014, when the group emerged to proclaim an Islamic “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria. The group executed dozens of civilians and security members there, forcing thousands to flee homes.

On Saturday, further reinforcements from the Federal Police were sent from Baghdad to the town, as the military command declared last week, the end of operations in Tal Afar, the militants’ last haven west of Nineveh, and the approach of the launch of offensives for Hawija.

Around thirty Islamic State militants were killed in heavy shelling by U.S.-led Coalition jets that targeted the group’s locations in western Anbar, a security source was quoted saying. “Coalition jets heavily shelled Qaim, Annah and Rawa in an unprecedented way,” the source told Alghad Press on Monday. “The shelling targeted pivotal IS locations including three rest houses in Qaim.”

“The jets also pounded more than location in Qaim as well as anti-aircraft in al-Ebeidi and another in al-Bayda region,” the source added. “In Rawa, the shelling targeted al-Qadisiya district and Old Rawa, in addition to a rest house, two checkpoints and a leader’s house. In Annah, heavier shelling occurred, targeting al-Chichan and Dalah districts as well as Jameela region, Hasa village and al-Rayhana region,” the source said, adding that the shelling left more than 30 militants killed and 17 others wounded.

The militants, according to the source, are on high alert. Internet communications are blocked in each of Qaim and Annah. On Sunday, the militant group reportedly tightened measures on citizens in Qaim, al-Ebeidi town and Okashat region. Curfew has been imposed since the morning. Tens of leaders, who likely ran away from Aiyadhiya and Tal Afar, arrived on Saturday in Qaim.

Last week, the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell said the air force bombarded six IS locations in Qaim, killing 94 members, including a senior security commander and a close aide to the group’s supreme leader abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Anbar’s western towns of Anah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them. Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition regularly pound IS locations in the province.

On the other hand, Qais al-Khazaali, commander of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, a component of the Popular Mobilization Forces, said Kurdistan’s inclusion of Kirkuk as a voting district during the anticipated vote is “a serious matter that needs an official, decisive response”.

Addressing Barzani, Khazaali said that if the referendum leads to secession from Iraq, Iraqis will consider territories under Kurdish control as “occupied lands”. Kurdistan gained autonomous governance based on the 2005 constitution, but is still considered a part of Iraq. The region was created in 1970 based on an agreement with the Iraqi government, ending years of conflicts. Since it set the schedule for the controversial poll, Erbil has stressed it was not backtracking on the plan.

Baghdad and Erbil have for long disputed sovereignty over oil-rich Kirkuk. Its governor stirred a political crisis in March when he decided to raise Kurdish flags above government buildings there, and vowed to back independence from Iraq.

source:AFP