Peshmerga: Kurdish Colonel among victims of deadly attack in Iraq

Shafaq News/ An improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a military convoy in the Tuz Khurmatu district of eastern Saladin province on Sunday, killing three officers, the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Peshmerga said.

In a statement, the ministry said that during a joint security operation between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi forces to pursue ISIS remnants in the area, an IED blew up killing Col. Saman Saber Suleiman, commander of the 3rd Regiment of the 1st Joint Brigade, Colonel Mohammed Reza Karim, an engineering officer from the Iraqi Army's 9th Division, and Sergeant Sharif Ahmed Mohammed Amin.

Three soldiers were also injured in the incident.

Tuz Khurmatu, a multi-ethnic city in Saladin province about 55 miles (89 kilometers) south of Kirkuk, is home to a mixed population of Shia Turkmen, Arabs, and Kurds.

The city has endured numerous attacks and operations involving ISIS militants, including assaults on civilians and Iraqi forces, as well as kidnappings.

Peshmerga and Iraqi forces frequently collaborate in joint operations to clear Tuz Khurmatu of ISIS militants and enhance security in the area, successfully neutralizing several militants. However, the terrorist group often plants improvised explosive devices (IEDs), leading to casualties among security personnel and civilians.