Army soldier killed, three others wounded in IS attack in Salahuddin

Salahuddin (IraqiNews.com) A soldier was killed, three others were wounded in an Islamic State attack launched against security checkpoint in south of Salahuddin, a security source said.

Speaking to Baghdad Today on Wednesday, the source said, “IS targeted a joint security checkpoint for army and Popular Mobilization Forces using hand grenades and heavy weapons in Yathrib region, south of Salahuddin.”

“The attack left a soldier killed and three others of the army’s second division wounded,” the source, who preferred anonymity, added.

Yathrib was one of the main IS strongholds in Salahuddin before being freed.

Pivotal regions that link between each of Diyala, Salahuddin and Kirkuk, are still held by the militants which poses threats to the liberated regions. Iraqi troops are urged to prevent the militants infiltration between Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces, especially the regions stretching along Hamreen mountains and Al-Azeem town.

It’s expected that the Iraqi government will head towards liberating other IS strongholds across Iraq, including in Salahuddin.

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State Sunni extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which excludes security members deaths, said 297 Iraqis, were killed and injured due to violence and armed conflicts during the month of ِAugust. Baghdad was the most affected province with 45 deaths and 135 injuries.