ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Islamic State group (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the killing of a top Iraqi army commander in Anbar province, west of Baghdad in an "ambush" late Tuesday.
In a statement published on ISIS' Telegram propaganda channel, the extremist group claimed its militants "killed General Brigadier Ahmed al-Lami, commander of 7th division of the 29th brigade of the Iraqi Army in an ambush in Anbar."
The statement also claimed that another officer was killed in the ambush which also injured an Iraqi soldier.
Yehia Rasool, spokesperson for the Iraqi commander-in-chief released a statement early Wednesday confirming the death of the “brave commander.”
According to Rasool, the ambush took place at the Shahid Mohammed al-Karwi checkpoint in the city of Hit, 180km northwest of Baghdad.
“We will pursue the terrorists who carried out this treacherous and cowardly act, and the blood of our martyrs will not be in vain,” he added.
ISIS also claimed responsibility for the murder of another Iraqi army commander on July 17.
Although ISIS was territorially defeated in Iraq in December 2017, it continues to launch guerilla attacks on civilians and security forces, and has reverted to earlier tactics such as ambush, kidnap, arson and extortion.
The latest attack comes as Iraqi forces continue counter-terror operations against the group.
Iraqi security forces announced the next stage of the fourth phase of the “Heroes of Iraq” operation in Diyala province on Sunday. Previous phases covered areas in Anbar, Nineveh, Salahaddin, Kirkuk, and Samarra.
The US-led global coalition against ISIS is drawing down in Iraq. US-led coalition troops have withdrawn from seven bases in Iraq, with British forces withdrawing from Taji military camp in northern Baghdad this month.
ISIS has welcomed the withdrawal as an opportunity to spread its insurgency and has vowed to exploit the drawdown of coalition troops.
Earlier this month, ISIS weekly propaganda newspaper al-Naba claimed its militants had carried out 28 attacks in Iraq between July 16 and 22 alone – mainly in Diyala, which lies in territory disputed between Baghdad and Erbil.
