Four Iraqi Soldiers Killed in Islamic State Ambush Near Kirkuk

The attack comes amid a surge in IS activities and the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq next year.

Four Iraqi troops were killed and three wounded in an ambush by Islamic State militants near Kirkuk.
The attack occurred while the soldiers were on a reconnaissance mission in a rugged area southwest of Kirkuk.
Iraq's Interior Ministry confirmed the ambush and stated that actions are being taken to track down the terrorist cell responsible.
The incident follows the U.S. military's announcement to withdraw its coalition troops from Iraq by next year, though they will remain in Syria until 2026.
Despite losing its territorial control in 2019, IS has nearly doubled its attacks this year, claiming 153 attacks in Iraq and Syria in the first six months of 2024.