Paramilitary troops repulse Islamic State attack in Diyala
Iraqi security forces inspect the site of a car bomb attack. Archival photo.
“Troops of al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] managed to repel an attack launched by IS to target a checkpoint in al-Bou Eissa village, north of Udhaim, in Diyala,” the source told Baghdad Today.
“The troops prevented the militants from attacking the checkpoint, making them run away,” the source added. “A bomb placed by the militants was blown up after they ran away.”
Mutaibija, located on borders between Salahuddin and Diyala provinces, has complicated terrain, with numerous hills that serve as a good hideout for militants. Occasional attacks have been witnessed there by Islamic State against government and paramilitary troops deployments since Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and PMUs, launched a major offensive to retake areas occupied by IS since 2014.
On Tuesday, security troops managed to repel a similar attack that was targeting a checkpoint on borders of the same village.
An attack against the al-Safra border crossing, north of Diyala, was repulsed by troops on Friday, leaving three security personnel killed and three others wounded.