A roadside bomb attack by Daesh fighters in northern Iraq has killed five Peshmerga forces and wounded four others. 

The fighters were killed in the Garmian district in Iraq's Kurdish-run north late on Saturday, KRG media reported on Sunday. 

Daesh militants then attacked a peshmerga post, wounding four, according to the report.

KRG President Nechirvan Barzani offered condolences to the families of the dead. 

“The increase in the (Daesh) attacks sends a dangerous and serious message and brings forth a serious threat in the region. Therefore, further cooperation between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi security forces with support from the global coalition is an urgent need,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

READ MORE: Several killed in Daesh attack on village in Iraq's Diyala province

Efforts to eliminate Daesh

Peshmerga forces launched a manhunt for the attackers, a KRG officer said.

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh by reclaiming all territories the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014, which was estimated to be about a third of the country’s territory.

The group, however, still maintains sleeper cells in large areas in Iraq and occasionally launches sporadic attacks.

The US-led coalition to defeat Daesh announced the end of its combat mission and said troops will withdraw from Iraq by the end of December. Advisers will remain to continue to train Iraqi forces.

READ MORE: Silence in the face of Shia militia atrocities will ensure Daesh returns

READ MORE: Turkey helped Iraq capture slain Daesh leader Baghdadi's deputy – report