Five Iraqi soldiers killed and several others are injured in Islamic State attack west of Mosul

Five Iraqi soldiers were killed and injured in an attack launched by the Islamic State in west of Mosul, Nineveh province, a security source was quoted saying on Thursday.

Speaking to Baghdad Today website, the source said, “gunmen, who are believed to belong to Islamic State, attacked a checkpoint for security troops in Badush, west of Mosul.”

The attack, according to the source, “left two soldiers killed and three others wounded.”

Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country.

Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced, in December, full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members.

As many as 3,298 civilians were killed and 4,781 others were wounded in 2017, excluding Anbar civilian casualty figures for November and December, which are not available, UNAMI said in a report in December.

Source: Iraqi News