Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces managed to prevent ISIS militants from launching an attack on the borders between Syria and Iraq, as the joint forces succeeded to defuse an explosive device in the Iraqi city of Diyala. Meanwhile the Iraqi security forces announced that an explosive device bombed in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. The explosion led to the killing of nine persons and the injury of 11 others.

Nine persons were killed and injured as a bomb blast took place in southeastern Baghdad, a police source said on Wednesday. “An IED exploded on Wednesday evening near the industrial district in Besmaya village, located on Baghdad-Wassit road, which left a person killed and eight others wounded,” a police source told Baghdad Today.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said, “security troops transferred the injured to nearby hospital, while the victim was taken to forensic medicine department.” Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State Sunni extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which excludes security members deaths, said 297 Iraqis, were killed and injured due to violence and armed conflicts during the month of ِAugust. Baghdad was the most affected province with 45 deaths and 135 injuries.

Baghdad has seen almost daily bombings and armed attacks against security members, paramilitary groups and civilians since the Iraqi government launched a wide-scale campaign to retake IS-occupied areas in 2016. While most of of the explosions and attacks went without a claim of responsibility, Islamic State has claimed several incidents.

Despite the group’s defeat in its main havens across Iraqi provinces, observers believe the group may still constitute a security threat.

In the same context, An Islamic State leader was killed in an air raid carried out by the U.S.-led Coalition jets, which targeted the group’s havens in western Anbar, a security source said. “IS leader, known as Saddam Ahmed Karrati, was killed along with big number of militants in Qaim,” the source told Alghad Press on Wednesday.

In related news, three schools were shelled by coalition jets in Qaim, another source said. “Aerial bombardment by Coalition jets targeted three schools in al-Karabla region,” the source added. Moreover, the source said, “IS detained 200 persons from Qaim as families were trying to escape.

Earlier on the day, a convoy of 19 families, coming from Rutba, west of Anbar, reportedly arrived at Camp 18, located west of Ramadi, while twenty other families headed toward Rutba, after escaping IS. Previous news reports on Wednesday said the militant group executed five young people in front of their families who had been caught fleeing town of Qaim, on Anbar’s western borders with Syria, towards the city of Rutba to the east.

Anbar’s western towns of Anah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them. Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition regularly pound IS locations in the province.

On the other hand, A checkpoint belonging to Iraqi paramilitary forces became under a mortar bombardment, with no casualties reported, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

Minister Qassen al-Aaraji said caravans belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces in Jadiriya, central Baghdad, became under a mortar shelling. He said the source of the missiles was Rassafa region.

Eyewitnesses and photos published by the Interior Ministry’s media revealed that the bombardment had caused huge fires.

Mobilization forces were formed in 2014 as per an edict by Iraq’s top Shia clergy to combat Islamic State extremists who had taken over a third of Iraq in the same year after the collapse of the government forces.

Violence and armed conflicts left 297 Iraqis dead and wounded during the month of ِAugust, according to a monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq which excludes security members deaths. Baghdad was the most affected province with 45 deaths and 135 injuries.

The Iraqi capital has seen almost daily bombings and armed attacks against security members, paramilitary troops and civilians since the Iraqi government launched a wide-scale campaign to retake Islamic State-occupied areas in 2016. While most of of the explosions and attacks went without a claim of responsibility, Islamic State has claimed several incidents.

Some security observers believe that even after IS’s main havens across Iraqi provinces are conquered, the group may still constitute a security threat through sleeper cells and lone wolf attacks.

On the political side, a new round of negotiation is scheduled to be launched during the coming week between the Iraqi government and Kurdistan’s government, as they will discuss a number of issues, including the referendum to achieve independence.

Sources close to Iraqi prime minister said that the negotiations will focus on the referendum, saying that the Iraqi government will attempt to convince the Kurdish delegation to delay the referendum. The sources added that the prime minister strongly refuses the independence of the province, as he will propose the delay of the referendum as a compromise.

The Iraqi parliament voted Tuesday against a planned referendum by Kurdistan Region Government on independence from Iraq, obliging the Iraqi government to take measures to “preserve the unity of Iraq”. The session was attended by 204 of parliament’s 328 members.

“The Iraqi Constitution had enumerated issues for which a referendum is required, and those do not include the Kurdistan referendum,” parliament speaker Salim al-Jubouri said in a statement by his office. “The inclusion of disputed territories in the referendum is also a violation of the constitution,” the statement added. The negative vote prompted Kurdish representatives to walk out of the chamber.