Iraqi Police Reinforcements Sent to Kirkuk Preparing for ISIL haven’s Invasion

The Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell said further reinforcements from the Federal Police  were sent from Baghdad to Kirkuk’s Hawija to take part in the anticipated liberation offensives, Iraqi News reported.

Last week, the WMC said air force warplanes dropped millions of messages on the southwestern Kirkuk town telling people “riddance from ISIL” was close.

Citizens were instructed to steer away from militants’ gatherings because they would become targets for military jets, the media service said.

“The Joint Operations Command will specify safe areas for citizens later,” it added.

The JOC said Wednesday it had concluded operations to retake Tal Afar, ISIL’s last stronghold in Nineveh, adding that Hawija was the next target for the next military operations.

Local tribal leaders and politicians from Kirkuk have mounted pressure on the Iraqi government to hasten with invading Hawija, the group’s largest stronghold in the southwest of the province, suggesting that its people were experiencing a humanitarian crisis under the group’s rule as the group continues to massacre civilians attempting to flee the town.

ISIL is still holding some holdouts in Anbar and Salahuddin provinces.