Two Iraqi soldiers were injured on Sunday in an explosion during a clearance operation in the southern town of Rashad, located in Kirkuk province. The incident occurred in the village of Salmani, falling under the jurisdiction of Rashad town, as reported by Kurdistan 24 today, citing police sources in Kirkuk.

The Iraqi forces were engaged in clearing a former hideout suspected to have been used by Islamic State (IS) militants when the explosion took place. Rashad village, situated 35 kilometers south of Kirkuk, had been liberated from the Islamic State in early October 2017. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the persistent threat posed by explosive ordnances left behind by the jihadist group.

The Islamic State, once controlling a significant portion of territory in Iraq and neighboring Syria, had reached its pinnacle in 2014 under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who declared the controlled territory in these two countries a caliphate.

The injured soldiers are undergoing medical treatment, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by Iraqi security forces in their efforts to maintain stability and security in liberated areas. The incident underscores the need for continued vigilance and clearance operations to eliminate the remnants of the Islamic State's presence in the region.