Three Iraqi soldiers killed in bomb blast, northeast of Baqubah
An Iraqi special forces soldier fires as other soldiers runs across a street during a battle in Mosul, Iraq March 1, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY – RTS10ZVB
A bomb, placed on the side of the road, while an army patrol was passing at Nahr al-Imam village in Muqdadiyah city, northeast of Baqubah, according to the sources. Three personnel were killed
Earlier on Wednesday, a local official said operation was launched to follow the Islamic State sleeper cells at five villages in Diyala.
“Joint troops of police, army and paramilitary troops of al-Hashd al-Shaabi launched an operation in search for IS sleeper cells in five villages in Muqdadiyah, Adnan al-Tamimi, head of the local council of the city, told AlSumaria News.
The operation, according to Tamimi, seeks securing the agricultural area in the vicinity of the city.
A Peshmerga fighter was killed early on Wednesday in an IED blast in Jalawla town, north of Diyala.
Several military operations were launched over the past few weeks in Diyala in search for IS sleeper cells.
Attacks launched by Islamic State militants against security troops, the pro-government forces and civilians surged over the past few weeks in northeast of Diyala, which urge the Iraqi forces to prevent the militants infiltration between Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces, especially the regions stretching along Hamreen mountains and Al-Azeem town.
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), issued on Tuesday, said 518 Iraqis were killed and injured during the month of June. Nineveh province was the most affected governorate with 233 casualties, Baghdad came next then Anbar.