Islamic State claims responsibility for deadly attack in Diyala market

The Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack that targeted a market, leaving more than twenty persons killed and injured in Diyala.

The group’s media arm Amaq news agency announced on Sunday that 24 Shia people were killed and injured as a bomb blast occurred in al-Khales town, north of Baquba in Diyala.

Security sources said one person was killed, while others were wounded as a bomb blast occurred in the market, in a town highly inhabited by Shia.

In remarks on Saturday evening, Odai al-Khadran, mayor of al-Khales, said the wounded ones included women and children.

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.

A report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) said 94 Iraqis were killed, while 163 others were wounded due to Violence and armed conflicts during the month of May.

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.

Source: Iraqi News