BAGHDAD, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Two Iraqi military personnel were killed Wednesday when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded during an inspection operation in Iraq's northern province of Kirkuk, Iraq's defense ministry said.
The ministry's spokesman Yahya Rasoul said in a statement the blast occurred when an IED left behind by Islamic State (IS) militants exploded during an inspection duty at the site after a recent airstrike targeting an IS hideout.
Three other soldiers were wounded in the blast and transferred to a hospital for treatment, said Abbas al-Bayati from the Kirkuk Operations Command.
Iraq carried out three precision airstrikes against IS hideouts in Kirkuk based on intelligence reports, destroying all targeted hideouts, according to a separate statement by the Security Media Cell, affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.
While Iraq declared victory over IS in 2017, the group's remnants continue to carry out attacks against security forces and civilians in cities, deserts and remote areas. ■
