Iraqi Official: ISIS Attack on Intelligence Bureau Wounds 3 Security Personnel

Iraqi soldiers and a US army soldier, part of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group, walk around at the K1 Air Base northwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq before a planned US pullout on March 29, 2020. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
Iraqi soldiers and a US army soldier, part of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group, walk around at the K1 Air Base northwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq before a planned US pullout on March 29, 2020. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
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Iraqi Official: ISIS Attack on Intelligence Bureau Wounds 3 Security Personnel

Iraqi soldiers and a US army soldier, part of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group, walk around at the K1 Air Base northwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq before a planned US pullout on March 29, 2020. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
Iraqi soldiers and a US army soldier, part of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group, walk around at the K1 Air Base northwest of Kirkuk in northern Iraq before a planned US pullout on March 29, 2020. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)

Iraqi officials said militants wearing a suicide vest struck an intelligence bureau in northern Iraq on Tuesday, blaming the attack on the ISIS terrorist group.

The attack wounded at least three members of Iraq's security personnel.

A senior Iraqi intelligence official told The Associated Press (AP) that the department “had knowledge that ISIS would carry out a suicide operation against the Intelligence Directorate, but we did not know on which day."

Iraqi security forces had spotted two men, one wearing an explosive vest and a driver, approaching the gate of the Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Directorate in the Qadisiyah neighborhood in the northern city of Kirkuk, a security official said.

The man hurled a grenade and then detonated his explosives vest before entering the premises, according to the official, noting that the other man, apparently the driver, sped away from the the scene.

ISIS did not claim responsibility for the attack.

The security official and the senior intelligence official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

The attack was the first attempted suicide bombing in recent months, coming amid minor ISIS attacks in the provinces of Kirkuk, Diyala and Salahaddin.

According to AP, the US-led coalition recently withdrew troops from its bases in the region, including in Kirkuk, in line with a planned drawdown of forces that would reduce the coalition's presence to bases in Baghdad and the western Anbar province.



Lebanon's President Tells US Senior Official Israeli Occupation in Remaining Points Must End

Israeli soldiers stand near to a tank near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo
Israeli soldiers stand near to a tank near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo
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Lebanon's President Tells US Senior Official Israeli Occupation in Remaining Points Must End

Israeli soldiers stand near to a tank near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo
Israeli soldiers stand near to a tank near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday told US national security adviser Mike Waltz that it is necessary to end the Israeli occupation in the remaining points and complete the implementation of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Israeli troops withdrew on Tuesday from most of south Lebanon but Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel would temporarily remain in five points needed for its security, Reuters reported.

The Lebanese presidency said that Lebanon would consider any remaining Israeli presence on Lebanese land an occupation.

Israel had been due to withdraw by January 26, but this was extended to February 18 after it accused Lebanon of failing to enforce the terms. Lebanon at the time accused Israel of delaying its withdrawal.