Three Iraqi soldiers injured by blast in Diyala’s Bahraz subdistrict

DIYALA — Three soldiers from the Iraqi Army were injured Saturday in an explosion caused by an improvised explosive device in Bahraz subdistrict, Diyala, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense.

The ministry said the device was a remnant of explosives left behind by Islamic State militants and detonated during a search and inspection operation in the area.

The statement reported the explosion occurred in Jameel Khudair village and struck a vehicle belonging to the army.

The injured soldiers sustained various leg fractures and injuries and were transported to Baqubah General Hospital. The ministry confirmed their condition is stable.

ISIS declared a so-called caliphate in 2014, capturing major Iraqi cities including Mosul and Tikrit, before being ousted by Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and a U.S.-led coalition in 2017. Its last Syrian stronghold fell in 2019, but cells remain active in rural and desert regions.

In August, Iraqi military officials said ISIS no longer poses a strategic threat inside the country, crediting daily security sweeps and intelligence operations. “Our security forces are capable and fully prepared to deal with any security developments,” armed forces spokesperson Sabah al-Numan told the Iraqi News Agency at the time. “They are receiving continuous blows, thanks to the determination and vigilance of our forces.”