In photos: 5 Iraqi policemen dead as bomb blast targets their bus in Kirkuk
Iraqi troops try to take the bus out of a hole after it was hit by a bomb blast in Kirkuk
Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) – Five federal policemen were killed Tuesday in a bomb blast in Hawija district in Kirkuk, a security source was quoted as saying.
Speaking to the privately-owned Ayn Al Iraq news website, the source said that “an explosive charge targeted a bus carrying policemen on the highway between Kirkuk and Salahuddin.”
The blast, which took place in Azerban village in southern Hawija, left five policemen dead and several others wounded, added the source.
A total of 90 Iraqi civilians were killed, while 117 others were injured due to acts of violence and terrorism during the month of August, according to the monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
The worst affected province was Baghdad with 77 civilian casualties (24 killed and 53 injured). Nineveh came second with 39 casualties (29 killed and 10 injured), while Anbar came in the third place with 32 casualties (6 killed and 26 injured).
Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country. The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.
Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016.