Iraqi army brigadier and soldier killed by roadside bomb near Kirkuk
A roadside bomb hit an Iraqi army patrol near Kirkuk, killing a brigadier and a soldier and wounding two others.
An Iraqi army convoy was targeted by an improvised explosive device while searching an Islamic State hideout roughly 80 km south of Kirkuk, killing a brigadier and a soldier and injuring two more. The location had been hit by Iraqi warplanes the previous day. This is the second attack on security forces in the area this month, following an October 5 IS assault that killed a federal policeman and wounded four others.
The bomb underscores the continued threat from sleeper cells despite ongoing counter-insurgency operations. The strike happened shortly after the United States ended its mission in Iraq on September 30. Analysts note that the withdrawal may shift the balance of power among local militias and extremist groups.
Why it matters
The attack highlights lingering IS threats and security challenges in Iraq after the U.S. troop withdrawal.
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