By Ali Latif
Azzaman, November 27, 2014
Islamic State militants have mounted a fresh attack on Kirkuk the latest daring onslaught on the oil-rich city.
The attack targeted areas south of the city and the militants were reported to have occupied a power-station, plunging Kirkuk into darkness.
But Kurdish militias defending the city say the attack was repelled following heavy clashes that continued until early on Wednesday.
Kirkuk is currently under Kurdish militia control. The militias known as peshmerga utilized the routing of Iraqi army divisions by the Islamic State in June and moved into Kirkuk and other areas.
The Islamic State has been on the defensive in the past few weeks as the U.S. and its allies have increased aerial bombings in support of Iraqi and Kurdish forces battling its militants.
But there are no signs that the militants have been weakened or they were retreating despite the recapture by the Iraqi army of several towns.
Elsewhere, an Islamic State military leader along with 10 militants were reported to have been killed in a U.S. air attack on their positions in the Province of Anbar.
Most of Anbar Province is under Islamic State militants’ control. The militants launched a massive attack in the past few days to spread their control over the whole of Ramadi, Anbar’s provincial capital.
