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BAGHDAD -- A commander of an Iraqi army regiment and a local leader of a tribal force affiliated with the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi militia were killed Tuesday in a roadside bomb explosion north of Baghdad, a security source said.

They were killed in the desert in the western part of Salahudin province, said Colonel Mohammed al-Bazi from the media office of the provincial police command.

Another two soldiers were injured in the explosion that destroyed a military vehicle, he added.

The incident occurred while Iraqi soldiers and a Sunni tribal force were searching for IS militants in the desert, he added.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have melted into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.