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At least one Iraqi federal police officer was killed and four others were wounded Monday after Islamic State militants attacked a security position southwest of Kirkuk, according to two security sources.
The assault targeted a federal police regiment stationed near Hawija, roughly 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of the oil-rich northern Iraqi city. The militants reportedly used semi-automatic machine guns and sniper fire during the attack.
No group immediately claimed responsibility. However, Iraqi security and military sources attributed the assault to Islamic State militants, who continue to operate through scattered cells in the region.
The incident marks the first reported Islamic State attack against Iraqi security forces since US troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq on September 30, formally ending Washington's military mission in the country.
The United States had previously led an international coalition supporting Iraqi forces in their campaign against Islamic State. Coalition operations included training, intelligence sharing and other efforts aimed at preventing ISIS from rebuilding its capabilities after losing control of its self-declared caliphate.
Despite the US military withdrawal, Washington has said it will continue providing targeted training and intelligence assistance. Iraqi security forces, meanwhile, have assumed full responsibility for maintaining national security and combating remaining Islamic State fighters.
Although ISIS lost the territory it once controlled in Iraq and Syria nearly a decade ago, Iraqi security officials have warned that the extremist organization still maintains sleeper cells capable of carrying out attacks.
Ahead of the US withdrawal, some Iraqi officials and security experts raised concerns that the departure of American forces could create opportunities for Islamic State militants to regroup.
Monday's attack near Kirkuk is likely to renew scrutiny over Iraq's ability to contain the remaining ISIS threat without a direct US military presence. Iraqi forces now face the challenge of tracking militant cells, securing vulnerable areas and preventing the group from rebuilding networks in regions where it has remained active.
