Update: Iraqi military denies news on killing five security personnel in Mosul
A security checkpoint in Babil province.
In a statement, the Security Media Center said, “what was circulated by media channels on killing of five security personnel in an ambush by Islamic State members, who were disguised in security forces uniform, is completely untrue.”
“Names of the soldiers, who were claimed to be killed, do not exist,” the statement said urging media channels to stick to accuracy and rely on official sources before publishing.
Previously today, news reports quoted sources as saying five Iraqi security personnel were killed as Islamic State militants set up a fake checkpoint on the road linking between Mosul and Rabt’a region, located in Tal Afar, west of Mosul.
Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.
A total of 91 Iraqi civilians were killed and 208 others were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in February, according to the monthly report issued by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).