Civilian killed, 4 wounded in northern Baghdad blast

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) One civilian was killed and four others were wounded when an explosive device exploded in in a district in northern Baghdad, according to security sources.

The device was placed on the side of a road near a marketplace in Saba al-Bour region, north of the capital, security sources were quoted saying.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Islamic State militants have said
they had been responsible for several bloody explosions and attacks that hit the capital in the past months, leaving casualties among civilians and security troops.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) says violence in the country left nearly 392 dead and 613 injured, excluding security members, during February. Baghdad was the second most affected province with 120 deaths and 300 injuries, according to the organization’s monthly casualty count.

Some observers believe Islamic State have begun to escalate attacks outside the city of Mosul, where the group has been losing ground and personnel since October, so as to relieve pressure by government forces on that front and to divert attention from group losses. They are concerned that the group could, however, shift to a guerilla-style war and lone wolf attacks after the recapture of Mosul.