3 killed in suicide attack on Iraqi restaurant

BAGHDAD

Three diners were killed Tuesday when a suicide bomber targeted a restaurant in the northern province of Saladin, the army said.

Scores more were injured when the bomber detonated a bomb vest in the restaurant in al-Hajjaj neighbourhood of Baiji, which lies on the River Tigris around 210 kilometers (130 miles) north of Baghdad.

Capt. Saad Mohamed, based at Saladin operations army command, told Anadolu Agency a second suicide bomber was killed by security forces outside the restaurant.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Baiji, which contains Iraq’s largest oil refinery, was liberated from Daesh in October 2014 but the terror group has continued attacks in the area.

Last week, 84 people were killed in Iraq’s southern province of Dhi Qar when Daesh terrorists fired on a roadside restaurant before detonating a bomb-laden vehicle near a security checkpoint. Daesh later claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Iraqi forces are currently preparing an offensive against Daesh’s final hideouts in Saladin province.

In north Baghdad, two civilians were killed Tuesday and five injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated in al-Moshahada industrial district, police said.

A separate IED attack in the southern part of the capital saw three pro-government Sunni Muslim fighters injured in al-Karaghul as they carried out a patrol, Police Capt. Nazhan al-Khidr said. One is in a critical condition.

Reporting by Ali Jawad; Writing by Mahmoud Barakat;