(MENAFN) A member of Iraq's armed forces died and a second sustained injuries following an armed assault at a military checkpoint in Maysan province's southern region Saturday, according to a Defense Ministry statement.

The fatal confrontation unfolded when security personnel conducted a "surprise inspection" checkpoint in the al-Kahla area, established "to maintain security and arrest wanted individuals," ministry officials confirmed.

Four occupants traveling in a pickup truck defied orders to halt at the security post and suddenly veered off course. As military personnel gave chase, those inside the vehicle unleashed gunfire on the pursuing forces, leading to "the killing of one of the soldiers and the injury of another," the ministry reported.

Military units quickly sealed off the surrounding territory, apprehended all suspects involved, and confiscated both firearms and the transport vehicle, authorities stated.

The deadly encounter highlights Iraq's ongoing struggle with intermittent violent confrontations, driven by the country's vast circulation of unregulated firearms—a dangerous inheritance from multiple decades of warfare, including the 2003 U.S. invasion and subsequent battles against the Islamic State group. Such violence persistently threatens local stability despite Iraq's generally improved security conditions nationwide.

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