Two paramilitary personnel injured as gunmen launch attack in Salahuddin

Salahuddin (IraqiNews.com) Two paramilitary personnel were wounded as armed attack was carried out at the entrance Balad district, south of Salahuddin province, a security source said.

“Unknown gunmen opened fire on Tuesday morning against Al-Hashd al-Shaabi troops at entrance of Balad district,” the source said adding that “the attack left two personnel injured.”

The attackers, according to the source, opened fire from al-Hadira al-Sharqiya direction. “Information showed they infiltrated from Yathreb region toward Balad.”

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.

The province has seen an escalation in IS attacks against Iraqi government forces and allied al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units).

Despite recapturing large areas of the province since the group emerged in 2014, observers believe the group could still pose a security threat.

According to a monthly count released on Thursday by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq, violence and armed conflicts left 824 Iraqis dead and wounded during the month of May.

Nineveh came on top of the most affected governorates with 354 Iraqi civilians were killed and another 470 injured. Baghdad came in second place with 86 victims and 22 injured. Anbar came third with a total of 136 casualties (47 killed and 89 injured)

The total number of victims marked a rise from 317 Iraqis in April. In March, the victims reached 1115, according to UNAMI.