Iraq: Iraqi forces liberate Hawija from IS Oct. 5 /update 3

Event

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and US-backed Iraqi government forces announced the liberation of Hawija (Kirkuk province), the last IS stronghold in the country's north, from Islamic State (IS) militants on Thursday, October 5. The Iraqi forces' advance on Hawija, which began on September 21, was assisted by the allied Shi'a Popular Mobilization Front (PMF) militia. At the time of Thursday's announcement, some sporadic fighting continued to the north and east of Hawija, where remaining IS militants retained control of a few small villages and are now surrounded by Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces.

Context

Iraqi and allied forces' liberation of Hawija from IS follows other recent Iraqi military victories, including the liberation of Mosul and Tal Afar from IS control in July and August, respectively. Hawija was one of two remaining areas in Iraq controlled by IS militants; the last remaining IS territory in Iraq is along the Syrian border in western Anbar province.

Diversionary and retaliatory attacks by IS have become increasingly common as IS loses territory in the country. As IS's capabilities to successfully wage insurgent warfare in Iraq and Syria wane, it is likely that the group will continue to employ such asymmetric terror tactics with greater frequency, using small cells that can operate within the group's progressively fragmenting leadership structure.

Advice

The security environment in Iraq remains complex. Although travel is permissible in some areas, other areas should be considered strictly off limits. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to all travel.