New attacks of the terrorist group "Islamic State" occurred in Iraq, namely against villages situated near Kirkuk, in a region contested by Kurdish forces and Baghdad central authorities. The defence minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government told reporters that there were casualties and injuries among Peshmergah military forces, but "the terrorists were chased off and the situation is under control". More reinforcements forces were dispatched to the affected area to prevent further attacks.
"Islamic State" rose to notoriety in 2014, after taking over large areas of Northern Iraq and Syria, but during 2017 it had lost most of its gains amid offensive of a swapping international coalition. In the aftermath, groups claiming loyalty to IS have arisen in several countries, as Afghanistan, Libya and West Africa.
The recent uptick in attacks by the terrorist group in Iraq coincides with a general level of unrest and dissatisfaction with the Baghdad Government, as well as violent protests over the results of the last October country's parliamentary election.