Three Iraqi soldiers killed by a roadside bomb

A roadside bomb killed at least three Iraqi soldiers on Wednesday north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the country’s defense ministry announced.

The soldiers were on duty when the explosion took place in the Tarmiyah district, 30 kilometers (20 miles) outside Baghdad.

Along with two other soldiers, a lieutenant colonel was among the killed, the ministry said.

Three other soldiers were wounded by the bombing, another security statement read.

The area is known as a safe haven for ISIS remnants due to its dense palm groves and orchards that is believed to serve as the militants’ hideout. 

Although Iraqi forces announced the defeat of ISIS in 2017, the terror group still launches low-level insurgency against both security and civilian targets.