Iraqi Counter-Terrorism launches operation against ISIS in Kirkuk
Shafaq News/ Iraqi counter-terrorism forces launched a targeted military operation in southern Kirkuk on Friday, destroying ISIS hideouts in a rugged valley long used as a base by the group.
A security source told Shafaq News Agency that elite units from the Counter-Terrorism Service, backed by air support, conducted a field operation in Wadi al-Shay, within the Daquq district, south of Kirkuk, destroying several ISIS shelters used for movement and concealment.
No casualties were reported among Iraqi forces, according to the source, who noted that further preemptive operations will continue in Wadi al-Shay and surrounding areas to sever supply lines and deny the militants haven.
Wadi al-Shay is one of the most challenging terrains in southern Kirkuk, with dense vegetation and interwoven hills. It has served as a strategic hideout for ISIS remnants since the group's territorial defeat.
The valley has seen repeated operations since 2018 by the Counter-Terrorism Service and Rapid Response Forces. Its location — linking Kirkuk with the Hamrin Mountains and stretching toward Diyala and Saladin provinces — makes it a critical corridor used by militants to move and launch attacks.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Memri
40 minutes ago
- Memri
Islamic State (ISIS) Weekly Editorial On The Israel-Iran War: A Call To Reject Both Camps, Exploit Their Conflict By Waging Global Jihad Against Jews, Their 'Lobbies' And Allies
On June 19, 2025, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue 500 of its weekly newsletter, Al-Naba'.[1] The issue's feature piece, titled: "The Persian and the Jewish States" frames the war between Iran and Israel as a clash between two rival opponents of Islam who seek to occupy Muslim lands and corrupt Islamic sanctities. The piece urges Muslims to reject both camps, calling for intensified efforts to wage jihad against Jews– not only in Palestine, but across the globe. "Supporting Iran Is A Deviation From Monotheism" The editorial begins by arguing that most wars throughout history – among groups of falsehoods – have aided the interests of truth. Muslims once understood this dynamic, according to the article, because the hunt for truth—anchored in devotion to Allah—was their main objective. However, the authors argue, in the current times, due to what they perceive as lack of proper guidance, people's stances have shifted, their goals have altered, and their ethical values have become disordered. "No longer able to distinguish truth from falsehood," many have allegedly replaced the pursuit of divine truth with nationalist and religious sectarian drives, the article asserts. This deviation has caused widespread backing for the Iranian axis among Muslims, including among Muslims, because Iran opposes Israel and therefore supports Palestine. The piece views this as a risky misalignment motivated by a withdrawal from the Islamic faith of monotheism. Endorsing a Shiite-led political bloc, the article argues, is efficiently accepting a falsehood by believing in its hollow promises to defend Palestine, "despite Iran's military actions consistently proving otherwise." The authors claim that Iran's responses in its past and current confrontations with Israel were not driven by worry for Jerusalem or Gaza, but rather by its own calculated welfare—mainly in retaliation for the killing of its commanders or the damage inflicted on its infrastructure. "Supporting Palestine Is An Iranian Disguise" The Al-Naba' editorial stresses that this "misplaced loyalty" flows from a deeper problem: "The sanctification of the Palestinian cause above Islam itself." It said, "When Islamic principles are no longer the measure by which people evaluate right and wrong, they adopt alternative frameworks." In this case, the Palestinian issue has become a moral test, by which individuals and groups are praised or condemned—"regardless of their religious beliefs or ideological foundations." As a result, Shiite factions have earned the loyalty of many, only by seeming to support Palestine. This tendency, in the authors' view, has distorted the broader understanding of the Palestinian struggle, especially now that any fighter who dies for Palestine is considered a martyr–"regardless of whether they are Muslim, apostate, or even a non-believer." "Deaths Of Iranian Commanders Are A Sign Of Divine Justice" By contrast, the piece labels those whom Allah has chosen as being capable of differentiating the truth from falsehood. These chosen ones understand that the recent Israeli assassinations of Iranian commanders to be "signs of divine justice." Referring to the slain Iranian military personnel, the authors claim that these figures had once launched and commanded military operations against Muslims in Iraq and Syria, in alliance with Western powers; however, they were later hit by the exact U.S. air power that had supported their previous campaigns. Gloating, the text views their deaths as proof of divine vengeance. "The Current War Is Between Two Rival Imperial Projects" The article further frames the current war between Israel and Iran as a conflict between two rival imperial projects that are both hostile to Islam: "The Greater Jewish State and the Greater Persian State." Both, the piece argues, are driven by greed and hatred, seeking to conquer Muslim lands and defile holy sites. There is no moral distinction between the two; both are considered long-standing enemies of Islam. To navigate through this conflict, the authors emphasize that Muslims must not be obliged to pick one of the two camps. Instead, "they must align solely with the Islamic camp, founded on monotheism and jihad." Two Sides Of The Same Coin The destruction Israel and Iran inflict on each other should, in the authors' view, be a cause for Muslim gratification, for it degrades two of the primary enemies of Islam: one openly disbelieving, and the other—Shiite Iran—portrayed as more dangerous due to its alleged deceptive appeal to Muslims. The authors warn that Iran poses a greater threat because many Muslims are misled by it, unlike Israel, "whose enmity is explicit and widely recognized." The text states that even if Iran were to kill thousands of Jews, this would not qualify it as an ally to Muslims. Thus, the authors categorize Iran and Israel as essentially the same, for their "hostility toward Islam." Urging Muslims To Exploit The Current War: "Intensify Jihad" Framing its demands as a strategic standpoint, the piece calls on Muslims to benefit from the chaos generated by the current war, for it is a "vital opportunity to intensify efforts in jihad across multiple fronts: logistical support, recruitment, military preparation, and armament." The authors argue that conflicts among Israel, Iran, and their allies are intensifying, which breaks down the boundaries of cooperation and mutual restraint that once existed among them. This shift, according to the piece, is a positive sign indicating that even enemies of Islam are no longer secure within their own circles. "Increasing Dominance Of Jewish Influence In Global Affairs" Highlighting that Western powers—including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany—have reaffirmed their support for Israel's right to self-defense, the text argues that this stance invalidates earlier claims—mainly circulated by the Muslim Brotherhood and Iranian sympathizers—of a rift between Europe and Israel. "These were false hopes, believed only by the politically naive," the text asserts, claiming that the current position of the West behind Israel shows the snowballing dominance of Jewish influence in global affairs, particularly following Israel's success in undermining Iran's regional proxies and targeting its nuclear infrastructure. Thus, "the Jewish power is not only persistent but also strategic and calculated." "The Obligation To Fight Jews Extends Beyond The Borders Of Palestine" Based on the editorial, this alleged Jewish control stretches beyond Israel to the Western world, driven by powerful Jewish lobbies in media, economics, and policy. The piece argues that this confirms what was already claimed when Gaza's war began: "It is not the West leading Israel, but Israel and its global networks steering the West." Accordingly, the article insists that the obligation to fight Jews goes beyond the borders of Palestine: "Their global power and networks are what sustain their presence in the region. Ignoring that reality is a serious strategic error." In conclusion, the editorial reiterates that both Israel and Iran are rivals of Islam— hostile disbelievers, and historically complicit in wars against Muslims. Today, their fractured alliance turned into an open conflict. The piece stresses that the more intense their war becomes, the more Muslims, according to the authors, stand to gain.
Memri
40 minutes ago
- Memri
Abu Ali Al-Askari Of The Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades: 'America's Bases Will Be Akin To Duck-Hunting Fields, Straits Of Hormuz And Bab Al-Mandab Will Be Closed, Oil Ports In Red Sea Will Be Halted'
On June 20, 2025, Abu Ali Al-Askari, a senior official of the Iran-backed Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades, issued a stern warning to the United States, threatening significant repercussions should the U.S. engage in military conflict in the region. The statement, delivered with religious invocations, underscored the group's readiness to counter American interests and promised devastating economic and strategic losses.[1] "U.S. Intervention Will Trigger Financial Losses" Al-Askari warned that any U.S. military involvement would lead to catastrophic financial consequences, suggesting a coordinated strategy has been put in place to undermine U.S. economic ambitions in the region, invoking a Quranic phrase to emphasize the certainty of their commitment: "We reaffirm, with utmost clarity: if the United States enters the war, the fool Trump will lose all the trillions he dreams of seizing from the region. Operational plans have been set for this, and 'that is a promise not to be belied.'" Targeting U.S. Bases And Regional Chokepoints He also threatened to transform U.S. military bases into vulnerable targets and disrupt critical regional infrastructure. "Without a doubt, America's bases in the region will become akin to duck-hunting fields, the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al-Mandab will be closed, and oil ports in the Red Sea will be halted, not to mention the surprises that may befall its aircraft in the skies." Quoting the Quran, he added, "For the like of this, let the workers work," signaling the group's readiness to execute these plans and disrupt U.S. operations comprehensively. On June 19, Al-Askari, published a statement claiming that Iran has "the necessary capabilities to withstand and continue launching missiles of various ranges and technologies at the usurping entity, at the same pace for more than a year. He added that if the U.S. joins the conflict, it will result in the destruction of the region and "may even deprive the thief Trump of the trillions he dreams of in the region."
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Israeli airstrikes hit southern Lebanon
Shafaq News/ On Friday, Israeli fighter jets conducted a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon's Iqlim al-Tuffah region. Local sources confirmed at least ten raids targeting highland terrain and agricultural outskirts, spanning areas from al-Rihan Heights and Wadi Bargouz to the Litani River corridor. The Israeli military spokesman later claimed that the strikes targeted Hezbollah positions and missile launchers. #عاجل 🔸جيش الدفاع يهاجم مواقع عسكرية ومنصات إطلاق صواريخ تابعة لحزب الله الإرهابي في جنوب لبنان🔸أغارت طائرات سلاح الجو قبل قليل على مواقع عسكرية تابعة لحزب الله الإرهابي، احتوت على منصات لإطلاق القذائف الصاروخية والصواريخ بالإضافة إلى مستودعات أسلحة في منطقة جنوب لبنان.… — افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) June 20, 2025 Earlier, commenting on Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem's statement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz remarked, 'Their threats are becoming intolerable ... My patience is wearing thin.' Despite the announcement of a ceasefire agreement on November 26, tensions remain elevated along the Lebanese-Israeli frontier, with Lebanese authorities reporting that Israel has carried out nearly 3,000 violations of the ceasefire since it took effect.
