What Iraq’s US troop withdrawal means for security after Kirkuk killings
As Iraq assumes full responsibility for its security following the coalition’s withdrawal, a disputed counterterrorism operation in Kirkuk is raising questions about accountability, public trust and lingering security gaps.
AMMAN – As celebrations across Iraq showcased heavily armed Iraqi men in dark sunglasses driving armored vehicles through the streets as part of the Sovereignty Day celebrations on Sept. 30, some Iraqis worried that unscrupulous individuals could see the current phase as an opportunity to exploit.
On Sept. 29, on the eve of the deadline for the withdrawal of the US-led coalition forces, protests broke out in the key oil-rich city of Kirkuk, long disputed between the central government in Baghdad and the Erbil-based Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
The protests were over the alleged killing of two Kurdish teenagers by the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS). The security forces claimed they had killed two people affiliated with the Islamic State and arrested another one, posting photos of themselves on social media standing over two bloodied bodies.
A local source told Al-Monitor on Sept. 30 that two “terrorists wearing explosive belts” had been killed but that two “children” had also been caught in the crossfire and lost their lives. Others claim that at least one of the bloodied bodies appearing in the photo was an innocent teenager.
