Seven civilians wounded in northern Baghdad IED blast

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Seven civilians were wounded in an IED blast near a popular football playground in north of Baghdad, a security source said.

“A bomb, placed near a popular football playground in al-Taji district, north of Baghdad, exploded on Thursday, leaving seven civilians wounded,” the source added.

“Ambulances transferred the civilians to nearby hospital for treatment,” he added.

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.

A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which excludes security members deaths, said 297 Iraqis, were killed and injured due to violence and armed conflicts during the month of ِAugust. Baghdad was the most affected province with 45 deaths and 135 injuries.

The capital has seen almost daily bombings and armed attacks against security members, paramilitary groups and civilians since the Iraqi government launched a wide-scale campaign to retake IS-occupied areas in 2016. While most of of the explosions and attacks went without a claim of responsibility, Islamic State has claimed several incidents.

Despite the group’s defeat in its main havens across Iraqi provinces, observers believe the group may still constitute a security threat.