Baghdad : Eleven people were killed in an attack by a group armed with explosives and guns in eastern Iraq, security officials said Friday. The attacks took place Thursday night in the area of Muqdadiyah in Diyala province. A roadside bomb exploded and gunmen then opened fire on rescuers and bystanders at the scene, two security officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
The victims were all civilians, the officials said. The gunmen fled and no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Diyala province has seen periodic attacks by Islamic State cells and sporadic violence due to sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis, as well as fighting between rival militias and their tribal and political allies struggling over influence and lucrative racketeering networks. Diyala, bordering both Iran and Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, is a prime conduit for smuggling.
