Car bombing kills several militiamen in Iraq’s Salahuddin

At least one vehicle-born improvised explosive device (VBEID) attack and possibly another “suicide bomber” on Thursday appeared to target members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militias in the southern parts of Iraq’s Salahuddin Province, killing several.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – At least one vehicle-born improvised explosive device (VBEID) attack and possibly another suicide bombing on Thursday appeared to target members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militias in the southern parts of Iraq’s Salahuddin province, killing several. The Iraqi military communications center, known as the Security Media Cell, made the claim in two different statements.

“A car bomb driven by a suicide bomber targeted a unit part of the Samarra Operations Center, leading to the martyrdom of four members of the 313th Brigade of the Hashd al-Shaabi,” read one statement, using the name for the PMF in Arabic. “We will provide you with the details later,” it concluded.

A similar communique just three hours earlier mentioned that a “suicide bomber” had killed seven members of the 313th PMF Brigade. It was not immediately clear if there had been two separate attacks as the Security Media Cell statements did not explicitly state this.

Local media, however, widely reported that there had been two separate incidents, marking yet another attack amid a significant uptick in the number of terrorist activity in recent weeks across Iraq, especially in areas the so-called Islamic State previously controlled.

Islamic State sleeper cells continue to wage an insurgency despite multiple series of anti-terrorist campaigns by Iraqi government forces since Baghdad declared a final victory over the extremist organization, two years ago.

On Monday, the Iraqi military announced the conclusion of the seventh phase of an ongoing military operation known as “Will of Victory.” The most recent phase had the stated aim of locating and destroying remnants of the Islamic State in multiple areas within the provinces of Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Salahuddin.

The military also said on Thursday they had found and neutralized Islamic State hideouts as well as ordinances and explosives in Kirkuk province, part of territories disputed between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government of Iraq. The operation was carried out in an area that has witnessed a string of attacks since last week.

Read More: ISIS attack kills 5 militiamen in Kirkuk as Iraqi PM orders anti-terror operations

The Security Media Cell also said in another Thursday statement that Iraqi intelligence forces had captured three Islamic State operatives in operations in Anbar and Salahuddin provinces.

As the group’s activity continues, multiple attacks have also occurred in the northern parts of Diyala province as well, in areas controlled both by Iraqi security forces and those controlled by Kurdish forces. The KRG has deployed additional Peshmerga reinforcements to the area to bolster defenses against further assaults.

Read More: After ISIS attacks, Kurdistan Region deploys more Peshmerga to Garmiyan

Islamic State militants have long exploited remote areas in multiple provinces to operate and stage attacks on nearby cities and towns, especially where there is a security vacuum caused by a lack of coordination between Iraqi and Kurdish troops. 

Editing by John J. Catherine