Iraqi soldier killed in armed attack, east of Diyala: Source

Diyala (IraqiNews.com) An Iraqi soldier was killed in an armed attack, near his house, east of Diyala, a security source said from the province said on Sunday.

Speaking to Baghdad Today website, the source “a soldier, on leave, was killed by unidentified gunmen near his house at the outskirts of al-Humairat village in Mendali town, east of Diyala.”

The attackers, according to the source, “fled toward unknown destination. Security troops cordoned off the accident spot and transferred the victim to forensic medicine department.”

A total of 79 Iraqi civilians were killed and another 99 injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq in July 2018, according to casualty figures recorded by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate, with 63 civilian casualties (30 killed, 33 injured), followed by Kirkuk (8 killed, 34 injured) and Nineveh (13 killed and 05 injured).

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.

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.