Kirkuk is located east of Hawija, a pocket still under control Islamic State that lies between Baghdad and Mosul. With air and ground support from the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi government forces captured eight villages south and southeast of Mosul. About 1.5 million residents are still believed to be inside Mosul, and Islamic State has a history of using civilians as human shields. Kurdish forces had dislodged the militants from all the police and public buildings they had seized before dawn, they said. Islamic State claimed the attacks in online statements, and authorities declared a curfew in the city where Kurdish forces were getting reinforcements.

Source: Egypt Independent October 21, 2016 09:00 UTC