The Iraqi News Agency INA quoted Hashd al-Shaabi as saying that "two fighters" had died after being wounded in an attack by ISIS in the eastern province of Salahadin.

A security source, who requested anonymity, confirmed the information to AFP, saying ISIS elements attacked a Hashd al-Shaabi position in the al-Zarka area on Saturday evening.

Hashd al-Shaabi, a coalition of former paramilitary forces, mostly Shiite and considered close to Iran, has been integrated into the regular army.

A few hours after the attack, the Iraqi government's media unit in charge of security affairs announced that the army had bombed "hideouts" of ISIS gangs in Diyala province in eastern Iraq, killing 5 ISIS members.

Iraqi authorities declared "victory" over ISIS at the end of 2017, but the gangs continue to carry out sporadic attacks against the army, the police and Hashd al-Shaabi forces, especially in rural and remote areas outside major cities.

In a report published by the UN in the summer of 2023, it was stated that "the counter-terrorism efforts of Iraqi forces continue to lead to a decrease in ISIS' activities", while the attacks continue with low intensity.

"The main structure of ISIS continues to exist, with between 5,000 and 7,000 members in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic, most of whom are fighters," the report said.