One civilian injured, booby-trapped house detonated in bomb blast, military operation in Diyala
Iraqi forces patrol an area in Iraq during a military operation to push out Islamic State. File Photo
Diyala (Iraqinews.com) – One civilian was injured Wednesday in a bomb blast in southeastern Muqdadiyah, Diyala, a well-placed provincial official was quoted as saying.
“An explosive charge went off while a vehicle was passing by Muqdadiyah district in Diyala, leaving the driver injured,” Head of Muqdadiyah City Council Adnan al-Tamimi told Alghada Press.
“The injured was carried to hospital for treatment and a probe was launched into the incident,” he added.
Meanwhile, a military commander announced that a booby-trapped house and several hotbeds of Islamic State were destroyed Wednesday during a military operation at Hawi al-Azim area in northern Diyala.
Speaking to Alghad Press, Commander of Tigris Operations Lieutenant General Mazhar al-Ezzawi said, “Security forces detonated a booby-trapped house and destroyed several IS hotbeds during a military operation that started on Monday to cleanse the western parts of Hawi al-Azim area in northern Diyala from Islamic State remnants.”
On Monday, Ezzawi said a wide-scale military operation was launched to track down Islamic State militants at Hawi al-Azim area.
“Backed by Iraqi warplanes, joint troops from the Iraqi army, police and al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) launched the operation to track down Islamic State cells in the western parts of Hawi al-Azim area,” Ezzawi pointed out.
“The military operation was launched upon intelligence reports with the aim of cleansing Hawi al-Azim area of Islamic State cells and hideouts and restoring Diyala’s security and stability,” Ezzawi added.
In January 2015, Iraqi forces announced liberation of Diyala province from Islamic State extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.
The province has seen months of fighting between Iraqi troops and IS militants especially in the Jalawla and Saadiyah areas in the province’s north and areas near the town of Muqdadiyah.