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BACKGROUND
Tooz Khurmatu is the central city of the Tooz district in Salah Al Din Governorate, Iraq, located 55 miles south of Kirkuk, It is multi-ethnic, contains Kurds Arabs with a majority of Turkmen suni and Shi’a.
Tooz is also geopolitically significant because of its location as a conduit point between the northern part and the southern part in Iraq.
Since 2003, the city has experienced significant violence. It has been frequently bombed by al-Qaeda in Iraq and its successor the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant(ISIL).
In 2014 Despite the control of ISIL over many areas of Iraq and the fall of most of the areas under the control of the ISIL around the city, the city remained steadfast because of the people who defended the city Tooz comprises the towns of Salam beek, Nawjool, Yankaja, Beraochely, and Chardakhly. The city has a population of nearly 195,000 people, 55% Turkmen, 25% Kurds, and 20% Arabs. Sunni/Shi'a ratio is not hard to establish in this area almost half of the population are Shi'a and the other half are Sunni.