Four civilians killed, others injured by mortar missiles, IED blasts in Diyala
Iraqi security forces inspect the site of a car bomb attack. Archival photo.
Five mortar missiles fell on villages of al-Mekheisa, abu Karma in abu Saida town, northeast of Baquba, on Monday evening. Two women were killed, while five others were injured.
Moreover, a bomb exploded while a Federal Police patrol was passing at al-Katoun district in west of Baquba, leaving a policeman killed and two others wounded.
Another bomb blast in abu Hassan village in al-Abbara town, north of Baquba killed a member of the paramilitary troops of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units).
Attacks launched by Islamic State militants against security troops, the pro-government forces and civilians surged over the past few weeks in northeast of Diyala, which urge the Iraqi forces to prevent the militants infiltration between Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces, especially the regions stretching along Hamreen mountains and Al-Azeem town.
Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State Sunni extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.
A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), issued on Tuesday, said 518 Iraqis were killed and injured during the month of June. Nineveh province was the most affected governorate with 233 casualties, Baghdad came next then Anbar.