Daesh Militants Blow Up Oil Pipeline in Iraq's Kirkuk - Reports

Daesh militants have blown up an oil pipeline in the Kirkuk province in northern Iraq, Rudaw reported, citing head of Kurdish security forces Idris Rafaat.

According to Rafaat, Iraqi police have not yet taken full control of the territory. Daesh* fighters, who are situated in the highlands of Kirkuk, used the "vacuum created as a result of the change in power" to launch the attack.

The fire has not been extinguished yet, according to media reports.

Bagdad regained the control of the province of Kirkuk in northern Iraq last year after it had been run by Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region for several years.

READ MORE: Iraqi Militia Launches Operation to Clear Remaining Daesh Pockets in Kirkuk

Iraqi militias have conducted several military operations to locate remaining Daesh militants, their shelters and arms caches.

In February, the region’s governor, Rakan al-Jubouri, stated that there is a threat from so-called Daesh "sleeper-cells" in Kirkuk.

At the end of 2017, Iraqi authorities declared victory over Daesh, noting, however, that the fight against remaining cells would continue.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia