ROME (AP) — Italy's defense ministry says five Italian soldiers have been wounded by the explosion of a device in Iraq.

The ministry said three of the wounded were in "grave condition" in the blast of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) as they were passing by Sunday morning. It didn't say where it occurred.

The statement said an Italian special forces team was carrying out "mentoring and training" of Iraqi armed forces involved in the "fight against Islamic State group."

The wounded soldiers were evacuated by U.S. military helicopters to hospital. Italian state TV said they are in a Baghdad hospital.