Seven injured in Islamic State attack in Khanaqin

Islamic State (IS) militants on Monday attacked the village of Qaya in the city of Khanaqin, in Diyala Province, and injured seven people, police said.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Islamic State (IS) militants on Monday attacked the village of Qaya in the city of Khanaqin, in Diyala Province, and injured seven people, police said.

The jihadist group with the use of small arms and light weapons attacked the village at 10:20 pm, Khanaqin Police Director, Diyar Ahmed, told Kurdistan 24 on Monday.

The village population consists mostly of Shia ethnic Arabs but is also a disputed territory between Erbil and Baghdad.

The clashes went on for more than 30 minutes after police forces were deployed to the area to neutralize the jihadists, Ahmed said.

He noted that among the seven injured, three are children, two are women, and two more men who were transferred to a nearby hospital.

IS militants burned down three houses and three cars, the police official added.

Despite Iraq declaring ‘final victory’ over IS in December of last year, the group continues to launch insurgency-style attacks, kidnappings, and ambushes in the disputed provinces of Kirkuk, Diyala, and Salahuddin.

Editing by Nadia Riva

(Additional reporting by Harem Jaff)