Three paramilitary fighters killed, wounded in Baghdad gun attack

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com)  Three Iraqi paramilitary personnel were killed and wounded on  Wednesday when ugnmen shot at their checkpoint north of Baghdad.

A security  source told Alghad Press that  unknon gunmen opened fire at a post held by Popular Mobilization Forces at al-Hora, north of the capital, killing one member and wounding two  others.

PMF have been a  vital backer  of Iraqi government operations against Islamic State militants since their formation in 2014.

A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which excludes security members deaths, said 196 civilians were killed, while 381 others were wounded due to violence and armed conflicts during the month of September. The fatalities included 10 foreign nationals. Baghdad was the most affected province with 37 deaths and 157 injuries. Dhi Qar province came in the second place with 82 killed and 93 injured. Anbar came in the third place with 20 killed and 46 injured.

The Iraqi capital has seen almost daily bombings and armed attacks against security members, paramilitary troops and civilians since the Iraqi government launched a wide-scale campaign to retake Islamic State-occupied areas in 2016.

While most of of the explosions and attacks in Baghdad go without a claim of responsibility, Islamic State has claimed several incidents.

Some security observers believe that even after Islamic State’s main havens across Iraqi provinces are conquered, the group may still constitute a security threat through sleeper cells and lone wolf attacks. The Iraqi government is preparing to drive the group out of its last havens in Iraq: the towns of Rawa and Qaim in western Anbar.