A few hours after the attack on the Italian military, immediately claimed by the Islamic State, which caused the wounding of five incursors (three of which were serious), an operation by Iraqi security forces took place, with the probable support of the Task Force 44.
The area around Kirkuk has been unstable for months, despite the reverses suffered by the militia of the now former Caliphate. The territory is characterized by natural hiding places and hills rich in vegetation, a very favorable scenario for rapid attacks and ambushes, even with the use of improvised devices (IED).
Colonel Ahmed al Samawi, one of the officers in charge of the Kirkuk Command, said that a joint force had started a search and contrast operation of elements of ISIS in the Hawija district and in the areas of al Rashad and Abbasi.
The Kirkuk region is very rich in oil fields, probably one of the main reasons why, after the fall of Saddam Hussein, the contrast between the Baghdad government and the Kurdish autonomous region sharpened.
In addition to the Arab population, Kurds, Turkmen and other ethnic minorities live in this land. After the Iraqi army withdrew due to ISIS in the 2014, the Kurdish peshmerga remained the only ones to fight. With the return of central power in Baghdad, the Kurds have been marginalized.
Our special forces are working in such a precarious situation, committed to countering the resurgence of the self-styled Islamic State.
Precisely to support the ongoing operation of the Baghdad security forces, the 44 Task Force (consisting mainly of Col Moschin operators, the GOI but also elements of the Carabinieri GIS and the 17 ° Stormo of the AM), could perform in-depth reconnaissance actions (using helicopters supplied to the coalition); designation of targets to be hit (Joint Terminal Attack Controller); direct actions also with sniper shots from long distances.
Regardless of the actions that the 44 Task Force could carry out, to repay the perpetrators of last Sunday's attack with the same currency, it is good to keep in mind that the threat brought by the Islamic State has not yet been eradicated.
Photo: Operation Inherent Resolve
