Bodies of five fishermen discovered northwest of Baghdad in suspected ISIS attack

Iraq's Parliament Speaker condemned the violence and called on security forces to carry out “pre-emptive operations” to prevent repeated security breaches in liberated areas.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The bodies of five fishermen were discovered at a site northwest of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Saturday in what security forces believe was an attack by the so-called Islamic State.

An Iraqi security official who spoke to the Associated Press said five bodies were discovered at a campsite near the Therthar lake, 97 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Baghdad.

Naim Kaoud, head of the Anbar province security council, blamed the Islamic State for the attack which he said occurred “in the early hours of Saturday.” The security official added that three of his forces were injured following a firefight which ensued after the bodies were discovered.

Following the incident, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi condemned the violence and called on security forces to carry out “pre-emptive operations” and intensify their intelligence efforts, to prevent repeated security breaches and maintain security, especially in liberated areas.

Former Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi’s “final victory” announcement against the Islamic State in December 2017 appears to have been premature as the extremist group continues to launch attacks in previously liberated areas like Mosul, and in places it never controlled like Baghdad.

Elsewhere, on late Friday, several armed militants carried out a fierce attack on a village north of Tikrit, prompting residents to clash with suicide bombers, security sources said on Saturday.

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The Iraqi Security Media Cell said in a statement that the attackers wore “explosive belts” and targeted civilians in the village of Namel before police, Hashd al-Shaabi militias, and residents responded together with force.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.