In a coordinated effort aimed at eliminating Islamic State (IS) presence in the Shuan district of Kirkuk province, the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Peshmerga, in collaboration with the Iraqi army, conducted a strategic operation.

Led by the 11th Infantry Brigade of the Peshmerga Ministry and the 31st Brigade of the Iraqi army, the operation targeted suspected IS strongholds across multiple villages, including Darman Awa, Ali Bayan, Sarbir, Karabag, Sheikh Chia Charmuk, and Sheikh Bzeni. The Ministry revealed in a statement on Tuesday that the operation, lasting approximately eight hours, was executed with the objective of eradicating IS from the suspected areas.

The Islamic State has maintained a fragmented presence in Iraq, often resorting to hiding in marshlands, caves, and remote rural regions to evade detection. The group has exhibited particular activity in the disputed Kurdish territories, notably in Kirkuk province, owing largely to the security vacuum created after pro-Iranian Hashd al-Shaabi militia groups seized control of the province in 2017.

Earlier this year, IS militants launched a ground assault on Hashd al-Shaabi forces in Salahaddin province, resulting in casualties among the militia group's members. The attack centered on a Hashd military outpost in Zarka, situated to the east of Salahaddin province, leading to the loss of two Hashd militants' lives and inflicting injuries upon at least three others.

The joint operation underscores ongoing efforts by Kurdish and Iraqi security forces to combat the remnants of IS insurgency in the region, emphasizing the necessity of collaborative initiatives in the fight against terrorism.