By Hussein al-Amir

DIYALA, Iraq

Three civilians were killed Friday when an improvised bomb went off in Iraq’s eastern Diyala province, according to a local police source.

“An explosive device detonated in the Barwanah area of Diyala’s Abi Saida subdistrict, killing three civilian passersby,” Police Captain Habib al-Shimari told Anadolu Agency.

Police have since cordoned off the blast site and are now searching for the perpetrators, al-Shimari said, going on to surmise that the Daesh terrorist group stood behind the deadly bombing.

In recent weeks, the relative frequency of Daesh attacks has increased in Diyala, of which Baqubah city serves as provincial capital.

Last year, Iraqi officials said Daesh's military presence had been all but destroyed. It appears, however, that the terrorist group still maintains a limited presence in the northern and western parts of the country.

Reporting by Hussein al-Amir:Writing