Iraqi Kurdistan more vulnerable to Al-Qaeda attacks
The war in Syria, including the spread of radical Islamist terrorists, is spilling over into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
On Nov. 3, the Kurdish security forces prevented another suicide attack on the security headquarters building in Akre, Dahuk, arresting two Syrians who were members of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The security operation shows the Kurdish security forces' vigilance, and it also indicates that the Syrian war has increased security risks for the Iraqi Kurds, who have managed to keep their region safe from attacks for six years.
Reports suggest that the Iraqi Kurdish border security has been tightened and that some Iraqi Arabs who want to visit Iraqi Kurdistan are turned away. The increased security threat to Iraqi Kurdistan is linked to the empowerment of al-Qaeda as a result of the civil war in Syria. Despite this, the Kurdish security forces are well-prepared to prevent any threat to the security of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and have increased security measures to prevent any attack.
A report based on police sources from the Kurdish TV station NRT suggested that 500 ISIS fighters have come to the province of Kirkuk from Syria, which has aroused concern among the Kurdish security forces. Kirkuk is not officially part of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, but it borders the provinces of Erbil and Sulaimaniyah and is also mostly under the control of security forces linked to the Kurds.
The official ISIS media outlet, the Ministry of Information, claimed responsibility on Oct. 6 for the Sept. 29 suicide attack in Erbil that killed seven people and wounded more than 70. The group claimed that it was a response to alleged aid by Kurdish President Massoud Barzani to Baghdad against al-Qaeda and for Barzani’s statement promising help to the Kurds in Syria.
