Bomb targeting joint force kills three Peshmerga soldiers

SALAH AL-DIN — An explosion this morning near the village of Palkana, located between Kifri and Tuz Khurmatu in Salah Al-Din governorate, killed three Peshmerga fighters and injuring three Iraqi Army soldiers, a security source told 964media.

The explosion claimed the lives of Colonel Saman Saber Sleman, commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 20th Brigade, and Colonel Mohammed Ahmed, an engineering officer. “The bomb detonated during a Peshmerga patrol, and there is a strong likelihood it was planted by ISIS operatives, as their sleeper cells remain active in the area,” the source said.

The KRG Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs issued a statement condemning the attack that killed the three peshmerga saying, “The attack occurred at 9 a.m. in the Khurmatu region and struck the convoy.”

“The incident occurred during the clearance of a heavily coordinated joint security area,” read the statement.

The injured soldiers were taken to Khurmatu Hospital for treatment. Authorities are investigating the incident, which is suspected to be linked to ongoing insurgent activities by ISIS militants in Salah Al-Din.

On October 26, 2024, Iraqi forces conducted an airstrike targeting an ISIS cell in the Gharra and Palkana areas. These towns, situated in Salah Al-Din and Diyala governorates respectively, are part of the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraq’s federal government.

The disputed territories, known for their ethnic diversity and mixed populations of Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen, remain a hotspot for security challenges. ISIS operatives continue to exploit gaps in security to maintain a foothold in the region.

To address these security gaps, a joint force under the Iraqi Joint Operations Command was established in 2021. The force, consisting of two brigades and approximately 3,500 soldiers, is tasked with securing a 560,000-square-kilometer area in the disputed territories.

This article has been updated with a statement from the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs