8 Sunni civilians killed in Shia revenge attack in Iraq's Diyala

BAGHDAD

Eight Sunni civilians were killed by Shia gunmen in an apparent revenge attack in Iraq’s eastern Diyala province on Wednesday, according to a local police officer.

The attack came one day after suspected Daesh/ISIS militants attacked the predominantly Shia village of al-Rashad in Diyala Tuesday evening, killing at least 15 people and injuring 13 others.

"Hundreds of gunmen from the Bani Tamim [Shia] tribe attacked the Sunni village of Al-Imam in response to Tuesday’s attack,” the police officer told Anadolu Agency, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

He said a number of houses and farmlands were set on fire during the attack.

In recent months, Daesh/ISIS terrorists have escalated their attacks, especially in the area between Kirkuk, Salahuddin, and Diyala, known as the Triangle of Death.

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS by reclaiming all territories the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014, about one-third of the country’s territory.

The group, however, still maintains sleeper cells in large areas of Iraq and occasionally launches attacks.

BAGHDAD

Eight Sunni civilians were killed by Shia gunmen in an apparent revenge attack in Iraq’s eastern Diyala province on Wednesday, according to a local police officer.

The attack came one day after suspected Daesh/ISIS militants attacked the predominantly Shia village of al-Rashad in Diyala Tuesday evening, killing at least 15 people and injuring 13 others.

He said a number of houses and farmlands were set on fire during the attack.

In recent months, Daesh/ISIS terrorists have escalated their attacks, especially in the area between Kirkuk, Salahuddin, and Diyala, known as the Triangle of Death.

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS by reclaiming all territories the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014, about one-third of the country’s territory.

The group, however, still maintains sleeper cells in large areas of Iraq and occasionally launches attacks.