locals have been asked by ISIL to give fighters food and give information on the whereabouts of Iraqi personnel, locals have also stated that ISIL fighters will frequently enter into Mosques and ask for Zakat to fund the insurgency. Among ISIL's operations include assassinations, kidnappings, raids and ambushes. As of 2021, U.S. officials warned that ISIL "remains capable of waging a prolonged insurgency” but also described ISIL in Iraq as "diminished”. Iraqi intelligence estimated that ISIL has 2,000–3,000 fighters in Iraq. Following ISIL's defeat in December 2017, they have been greatly weakened and violence in Iraq has been sharply reduced. 23 civilians lost their lives from violence-related incidents during November 2021, the lowest figure in 18 years. Timeline 2018 January–April Between January and February 2018, Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga clashed with the White Flags around parts of the Kirkuk and Saladin governorates for control of oil fields which the Iraqi government claims the group's priority is. The Iraqi government said in the clashes the composition of the White Flag's fighters are ISIL members and individuals linked to the Kurdish mafia, the government also alleges that the Kurdistan Region allowed oil theft to occur in the area while it was under their control and enabled ISIL for their own interests. In March 2018, in two separate attacks ISIL reportedly killed 10 individuals including a pro-government Sunni tribal Sheikh along with his son and guests at his house in the town of Al-Shirqat south of Mosul, in the other attack ISIL killed 5 individuals from the same family whom were Iraqi Turkmen and Shia at a fake checkpoint set up by the group posing as Iraqi security forces. 22 March 2018 - Six individuals and 15 others were at a checkpoint set up by ISIL the group killed six individuals and injured 15 others from the Iraqi Turkmen minority on their way to Erbil from Baghdad between Tuz Khurmato and Daquq to celebrate Nowruz. The attack was condemned by Turkey and Zowaa claimed one of their MPs was present during the attack but managed to escape unharmed. 2 April 2018 - PMF Major General named Ali Khalifa was killed in an operation around Tuz Khurmato and Kirkuk against ISIL and the White Flags. June–September 8 June 2018 - The Government of Canada announced that it will suspend Canadian support for Peshmerga and work exclusively with the Iraqi government, in a statement