Four killed by unexploded ordnance in Salah Al-Din while installing electricity line

SALAH AL-DIN — Four people were killed in an explosion on Monday caused by an improvised explosive device left behind by Islamic State militants in the village of Al-Mazraa, located in the Baiji district, Salah Al-Din, security officials reported.

The incident occurred while they were attempting to extend an electricity line to an abandoned agricultural field.

A local security source told 964media, “An explosive device from ISIS remnants detonated while several farmers were gathering to set up an electricity line for an abandoned agricultural field in Al-Mazraa village.”

The explosion resulted in the deaths of four individuals, whose bodies were transferred to the forensic department. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The Islamic State is recognized for widespread violence, human rights abuses, and acts of genocide in Iraq and Syria. The group emerged in 2014, capturing huge swaths of territory, including Mosul, Tikrit, and Fallujah.

Under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ISIS declared a self-proclaimed “caliphate,” enforcing an extreme interpretation of Islamic law and systematically targeting ethnic and religious minorities.

Despite being militarily defeated in Iraq by 2017 through coordinated efforts by Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and a U.S.-led coalition, ISIS remnants continue to operate as an insurgent force, carrying out periodic attacks and maintaining a presence in remote areas.