(MENAFN) Media reports about the withdrawal of federal police forces from Kirkuk have been denounced by Iraq's Defense Ministry on Saturday.
In a statement, the ministry called the reports, which claimed that federal police forces had pulled out from the province amid reports about an imminent attack by the Daesh (ISIS) terrorist group, "fabricated".
"Security forces are continuing to do their duties," the ministry said. "There is no pull-out [from the province] as the presence of the security forces has been welcomed by residents," it added.
The federal police command referred to the reports as "part of a negative media campaign aimed to affect the public opinion in Kirkuk and weaken public confidence in state institutions and armed forces".
Kirkuk governor Rakan Jabour also dismissed the reports, saying the security situation was stable in the province.
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