BAGHDAD, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Interior Ministry said on Monday that one security member was killed and several others were wounded during an operation to arrest suspected drug traffickers in the northern Kirkuk province.
Upon arrival at the scene, the force came under fire and engaged in an armed clash with the suspects, which resulted in injuries to a number of security personnel, who were subsequently transferred to hospitals and are now in stable condition, the ministry said in a statement.
One suspect was killed in the clash and another arrested, it added.
In a separate statement on Monday, the ministry said that following a series of intelligence-led operations, security forces arrested two international traffickers and seized 3 kg of narcotics in the eastern Diyala province, and found 48 kg of narcotics in the southern Basra province.
Years of chaos and conflict following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion have hindered Iraq's efforts to combat narcotics. The Iraqi government has stated that drug trafficking remains a significant source of funding for terrorism, while the circulation of drugs thrives in the shadows of terrorism.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry said in November that the country had dismantled 1,201 drug trafficking and distribution networks over the past three years, including 171 international rings, and had seized more than 14 tonnes of narcotics. ■
