Fears over cyclical violence following an Islamic State attack near the Mansuriya gas field in Diyala province has driven substantial civilian displacement.

Gaps remain between Iraqi and Kurdistan region security forces in northern Iraq, and insurgents are still able to carry out attacks against energy infrastructure, kidnap and kill civilians, and ambush security forces.

Lax oversight, outdated infrastructure, and extreme heat combust as Iraq’s oil capital suffers three fire emergencies in a single day.

For over two decades, rival Kurdish powers have sworn to avoid civil war — but deadly fighting has strained an informal truce to its breaking point.

After two years of talks, federal and KRG security forces have opened joint coordination centers that could help close security gaps exploited by insurgents.

Kirkuk's oil fields lack adequate protection because so many security forces were removed in a government crackdown on corrupt units involved in smuggling.