IS drone shelling kills child, wounds 3 in Salahuddin

Shirqat (IraqiNews.com) A working child was killed and three other people were wounded on Monday when an Islamic State-guided drone bombarded an area north of Salahuddin, a security source told Sputnik agency.

The missiles landed on a vegetables market in the city of Shirqat on Monday morning.

One day earlier, Two parents and their three children also died when missiles fired by the extremist group landed on their house in the sma city.

Though Shirqat was fully recaptured by Iraqi security forces last year, it has sustained occasional attacks on civilians and security troops. It is believed IS has been launching the attacks there setting off from Hawija, its stronghold in neighboring Kirkuk.

Government and tribal forces have launched occasional operations over the past few months to clear border regions between Salahuddin and adjacent provinces, killing dozens of militants. IS fighters have also responded with occasional attacks targeting troops, leaving several deaths.

Officials from towns still held by IS since 2014 have pressed the Iraqi government to hasten with security operations to retake those regions, but the Iraqi government is giving most of its attention to its battle in Mosul, Islamic State’s largest stronghold in Iraq.

Violence and armed conflicts claimed the lives of 317 Iraqis and caused injuries to 403 others during the month of April, according to a monthly United Nations count.