ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdish leaders on Sunday extended their condolences after three soldiers were killed as a result of a landmine explosion in Salahaddin province’s Tuz Khurmatu district.

At least three members of a joint Iraqi army-Peshmerga force were killed and two others wounded after their vehicle set off a landmine, believed to be remains of the Islamic State (ISIS). Two of the three soldiers killed were Kurds.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani extended his “deepest condolences” to the victims’ families and wished a speedy recovery for the wounded.

“We also emphasize the importance of developing cooperation and coordination between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army, to confront threats and security issues and consolidate peace and stability in the Kurdistani areas outside of the Kurdistan Region’s administration,” read a statement from the Kurdish premier.

The victims were members of Brigade 20. The joint force has over 3,700 members and was established by Iraq’s defense ministry and the Peshmerga ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). It has been stationed in the security vacuum between Erbil and Baghdad.

The force is primarily tasked with foiling ISIS plots, draining their resources, and crippling their abilities by using remote areas to regroup and launch attacks on either side. 

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani also extended his condolences and expressed his solidarity with the victims, while stressing that the incident proves that “terrorism” remains a real threat to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

“This terrorist act proves that terrorism is still a real threat to the peace and stability of Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and the region in general and the homes of citizens in particular in Article 140 areas. Therefore, we emphasize the continuity and further strengthening of joint coordination and cooperation between the Peshmerga, the Iraqi army and the coalition forces to fight and defeat the terrorists,” wrote the Kurdistan Region president.

Similar thoughts were echoed by Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, extending his condolences to the families and wishing the wounded a speedy recovery.

Home to Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen, Tuz Khurmatu is located in Salahaddin province. It is part of the disputed regions between the central government and the KRG.

Security gaps were created in the wake of the Kurdistan Region’s 2017 independence referendum which also was held in the disputed regions. Soon after it was held, Iran-backed Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and the Iraqi army pushed Kurdish Peshmerga forces out of the area, paving the way for ISIS militants to regroup and build hideouts in the area.