BFF-71 Five killed as car bomb hits diners in Iraq

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IRAQ-CONFLICT-BOMBING

Five killed as car bomb hits diners in Iraq

SAMARRA, Iraq, Sept 12, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Jihadists attacked a restaurant
north of the Iraqi capital with a car bomb on Wednesday, killing five people
and wounding more than 30, medical and police sources said.

Suspected Islamic State group members planted the bomb in a pickup left
outside the restaurant by an important highway in Hajjaj, a police officer
told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“Five people were killed and 32 wounded,” in the bombing near Tikrit city,
175 kilometres (108 miles) north of Baghdad, the officer said.

The attack took place during lunchtime and targeted “a restaurant where
there were travellers returning from Baghdad to Dahuk” in Iraqi Kurdistan to
the north, the police officer said.

Medical sources said women and children were among those wounded, while
confirming five people were killed.

The restaurant had already been attacked by two suicide bombers in the
spring, the police officer said.

On Monday, security forces said they had killed 13 jihadists north of
Tikrit as part of a large-scale land and air operation against extremists in
Iraq’s desert and mountainous areas.

Although Baghdad declared victory over IS in December, members of the
jihadist group continue to carry out deadly attacks.

On Tuesday a suicide bomber killed a member of the security forces and
injured four others in Anbar province, a western desert area, a security
official said.

That attack came a day after jihadists killed four people in Khanaqin
north-east of Baghdad, including two Kurdish fighters who were on leave,
according to a Kurdish political official in the area.

“IS jihadists kidnapped six people. Two were freed and four others were
beheaded,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

BSS/AFP/BZC/2035HRS