Child and her parents killed in Islamic State mortar firing in Salahuddin

A child and her parents died Friday as a mortar shell, believed to be from Islamic State militants, landed on their house in Salahuddin, according to a security source.

DPA quoted the source saying that the missile was launched from the eastern side of the city of Shirqat, which is still under Islamic State control, and landed on the family’s house, killing the trio.

Since Iraqi forces launched U.S.-backed offensives in October to clear Iraqi regions from militants, Shirqat has seen occasional attacks by Islamic State, leaving casualties among civilians and security forces. Government troops, backed by paramilitary forces, responded with intermittent security operations at the province’s borders with neighboring governorates.

Iraq commanders said last month that Islamic State militants were controlling less than seven percent of Iraqi territories. The government plans to aim at IS locations in Anbar, Salahuddin, and Diyala once it is done with its campaign in Mosul which officials say was nearing full liberation from IS.

Violence and armed conflicts claimed the lives of 317 Iraqis and caused injuries to 403 others during the month of April, according to a monthly United Nations count. Operations and battles in Mosul have left at least 600.000 civilians homeless, according to government and United Naitons data.

Source: Iraqi News