An Iraqi soldier was killed and two others injured in an attack by suspected ISIS militants on a military site near the city of Kirkuk, security sources reported on Wednesday.
This incident follows a recent assault on Monday, where ISIS operatives targeted an army post in eastern Iraq, resulting in the death of one officer and four soldiers, with five others wounded.
The Monday attack took place in a rural area between Diyala and Salahuddin provinces, regions still experiencing activity from ISIS cells years after Iraq declared victory over the terrorist group in 2017.
The Iraqi Ministry of Defense issued a statement mourning Colonel Khaled Naji Wasak and several members of the 2nd Battalion, 93rd Infantry Brigade, 21st Infantry Division, who died heroically defending against the terrorist assault.
In 2014, ISIS seized vast territories in Iraq and Syria, declaring a caliphate and instilling fear across the region and the world.
With the support of a US-led international coalition, Iraqi forces managed to defeat ISIS in 2017. By 2019, the group had also lost all its controlled territories in neighboring Syria, thanks to US-backed Kurdish forces.
Despite these victories, ISIS remnants continue to carry out attacks and set up ambushes from their bases in remote areas of both countries.
A UN report published in January estimated that ISIS still has “between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters” in Iraq and Syria.
Iraq has enjoyed relative security in recent years, following the chaos that ensued after the 2003 war and the subsequent sectarian conflict.
Now, Baghdad is eyeing the withdrawal of the US-led international coalition, which played a crucial role in defeating ISIS, insisting that local security forces are capable of handling the threats independently.
The persistence of ISIS activity underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Iraqi security forces and the importance of continued vigilance and international cooperation to prevent a resurgence of terrorism in the region.
