Iraqi PMUs foil an ISIS attack in restive north

Iraqi forces known as Popular Mobilization Units have foiled a terrorist attack carried out by ISIS remnants near the country’s biggest oil refinery in the restive north.

Iraqi forces known as Popular Mobilization Units have foiled a terrorist attack carried out by ISIS remnants near the country’s biggest oil refinery in the restive north.

Police sources said the Takfiris opened fire on Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha’abi, in the northern Iraqi city of Baiji in the volatile north-central province of Salahuddin on Monday, leaving three of the forces dead and five others critically injured.

A security official said there were seven gunmen in the attack and some of them had been identified as wanted Daesh members. The official added that four of the attackers were killed and the remaining three were still at large.

Hashd al-Sha’abi is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization composed of some 40 groups, which are mainly Shia Muslims. The force reportedly numbers more than 100,000 fighters.