Islamic State (ISIS) militants set fire to three oil wells near Hawija, west of Kirkuk, to slow down the advance of Iraqi forces, military and oil officials said. Iraqi security forces were using bulldozers to control the fires caused by the militants on Saturday (September 30) to slow down the advance of the Iraqi forces and Hashid al-Shaabi (Shia paramilitaries) towards Hawija, military officials said on Monday (October 2). “Terrorists are trying to use the rising smoke to avert air strikes while retreating from the area toward Hawija”, army Colonel Mohammed al-Jabouri said. Military officials said the fire of one of the wells had been controlled while the other two were still burning. The fires would take about three days to be put out, according to the officials.
