Daijiworld Media Network - Bagdad

Baghdad, May 25: Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said three of its personnel were killed and four others injured after an explosive device planted by the Islamic State (IS) detonated in the northern province of Nineveh during a field operation.

According to a CTS statement cited by international media, the incident occurred in a desert area while security forces were carrying out routine national security duties. The explosion highlights the continued threat posed by IS remnants despite the group’s territorial defeat in Iraq in 2017.

The CTS said that, despite the losses, its forces remain committed to pursuing remaining extremist elements and maintaining stability across the country.

In a parallel operation, Iraqi security forces intensified their counter-terrorism campaign in neighbouring Kirkuk province, where four IS militants were killed in coordinated aerial and ground strikes.

Officials said Iraqi F-16 fighter jets carried out two precision airstrikes on an IS hideout in the Wadi al-Shay area, killing three militants and destroying their base. Following the air operation, an Iraqi army ground unit launched a search mission and engaged and eliminated a fourth militant in the same area.

Earlier reports also confirmed that Iraqi airstrikes this month targeted IS positions in the Hamrin mountain range in Kirkuk province. Those operations, based on intelligence from military agencies, destroyed multiple hideouts and eliminated several militants.

Despite Iraq’s declaration of victory over IS in 2017, scattered cells of the group continue to operate in remote deserts, mountainous terrain and rural regions, frequently launching attacks on security forces and civilians.

In response, Iraqi authorities have stepped up joint air and ground operations, relying on intelligence-led strikes to dismantle remaining networks and prevent regrouping attempts by extremist elements.