Three counter-terrorism officers killed by Islamic State bomb in Nineveh desert

NINEVEH — Three Counter Terrorism Service officers were killed and four others wounded Sunday when an explosive device detonated during a field inspection in the desert southwest of Nineveh, the agency said.

The device was left behind by Islamic State militants, according to a CTS statement, which said the force would continue its operations “with courage and determination” and that “the pure blood of the martyrs will remain a motivation for us to continue pursuing the remnants of terrorism.”

Islamic State declared its self-styled caliphate in 2014, controlling large parts of Iraq and Syria before losing its territory by 2019. The group continues to operate through sleeper cells, particularly in desert and mountainous areas.