Suspected ISIS terrorists detonate mosque in Salahuddin province

Suspected Islamic State (IS) militants have detonated a mosque on a road between Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces, a move that is seen by commentators as a new escalation against worship places in Iraq, a security source was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Alsumaria News on Tuesday, the source said, “Armed men believed to be members of the Islamic State group have sneaked into al-Mustafa mosque in al Alam district in Tikrit and detonated it.”

“The explosion caused material damage to the mosque but no human casualties were reported,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, pointed out.

The source noted that a security force rushed to the blast site and opened a probe into the attack.

The Islamic State group appeared on the international scene in 2014 when it seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, declaring the establishment of an Islamic “caliphate” from Mosul city.

Later on, the group has become notorious for its brutality, including mass killings, abductions and beheadings, prompting the U.S. to lead an international coalition to destroy it.

Although Iraq declared victory over Islamic State in December with the help of a US-led alliance, isolated cells believed to be linked to the militant group remain active in some parts of the country.

In recent weeks, suspected Islamic State insurgents have carried out several attacks targeting security forces in the areas north-west of Kirkuk.

Source: Iraqi News