By In a deadly encounter in Diyala province, eastern Iraq, four police officers were killed and at least three others injured during clashes between Iraqi government forces and Islamic State militants on Saturday. Both police and medical sources confirmed the fatalities and injuries.
The clashes erupted while police and army units were conducting a search operation for militants taking refuge in farmland areas in the town of Khan Bani Saad in Diyala province.
According to police sources, two police colonels reported that the clashes were ongoing, with militants employing snipers to prevent police and soldiers from advancing. One of the injured officers is in critical condition.
Iraq’s security situation has seen relative stability in recent years following the chaotic period after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and subsequent bloody sectarian conflict. However, the threat from Islamic State militants remains a concern. Baghdad is now contemplating the withdrawal of the U.S.-led international coalition that played a crucial role in defeating the Islamic State.
The coalition still remains in the country in an advisory capacity, with the hope that local security forces will be capable of handling such threats independently.
