Policeman killed, Islamic State attack foiled, northeast of Baquba

Diyala (IraqiNews.com) A policeman was killed by a sniper, while an Islamic State attack against a security checkpoint was foiled, northeast of Baquba, a local source from Diyala said on Tuesday.

Speaking to Alghad Press, Awwad al-Rubaie, head of the security committee of Abu Sayda town, said “a policeman was injured in the evening by a sniper while being near a mosque at the outskirts of abu Karma village, northeast of Diyala, which caused his immediate death.”

Moreover, Rubaie said, “Islamic State members attempted attacking a checkpoint for police at the outskirts of the same village, however, security troops foiled the attack.”

A total of 68 Iraqis were killed and another 122 injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq in April, according to casualty figures recorded by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

As many as 3,298 civilians were killed and 4,781 others were wounded in 2017, excluding Anbar civilian casualty figures for November and December, which are not available, UNAMI said in a report in December.

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.

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 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.