Iraq thwarts attack by Islamic State militants on security roadblock

Diyala (Iraqinews.com) – Iraqi security forces foiled on Wednesday an attack by the Islamic State (IS) militants on a security roadblock in Diyala, a provincial council was quoted as saying.

Alghad Press quoted Walhan al-Karawy, a member of Diyala’ Jalawla municipal council, as saying that Iraqi troops managed last night to thwart an attack by IS militants against a security checkpoint on the outskirts of Jalawla, in northeastern Diyala . The attack left no casualties.

According to Karawy, the IS attack was successfully repelled by the troops and a manhunt was launched in search of the attackers.

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.

Iraq declared victory over Islamic State in December with the help of a US-led alliance, having retaken all the territory captured by the extremists in 2014 and 2015.

Despite the group’s crushing defeat at its main havens across Iraq, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks against troops with security reports warning that the militant group still poses a threat against stability in the country.