Report: ISIL Claims Responsibility for Assassination of Iranian Engineers in Iraq

Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists claimed responsibility for the assassination of 20 Iranian technicians working on the Iran-Iraq gas pipeline in Baqubah, capital of the Iraqi Diyala province in Eastern Iraq.
“The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group has accepted the responsibility for the assassination of the Iranian technicians and employees working on the construction of the gas pipeline in Diyala province,” Shafaq News website reported.

The Internet sites affiliated to the ISIL released pictures of the terrorist attack in Iraq’s Diyala province.

On Friday, masked gunmen shot dead 22 people near the village of Balad Ruz, situated 90 kilometers (55 miles) Northeast of Baghdad.

The victims were working on a pipeline projected to carry natural gas from Iran to its Western neighbor, when they came under attack.

After the attack, Iran announced that such acts cannot impede implementation of the project.

Managing Director of Iran’s Gas Engineering and Development Company Alireza Qaribi said that the attack is under investigation, and noted that an Iranian private sector contractor is in charge of building the gas pipeline.

He further added that Iran is resolved to continue implementing the gas pipeline which will carry Iran’s natural gas to Iraq.

The project will connect Iraq’s gas network and Naft Shahr energy reserves in Western Iran.

Earlier this month, security and intelligence forces in Iraq’s Northern Neynava province warned that there is an imminent threat of a huge attack by the ISIL on Mosul’s security and intelligence departments.

Iraqi security forces said the terrorist group plans to set free its arrested members kept in Mosul’s security and intelligence offices, Kurd Press news website reported.

The warning by Neynava security and intelligence departments came after the ISIL terrorists attacked Kirkouk’s intelligence department.

The ISIL is an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group comprised of foreign and Arab terrorists. The group has mainly been operating in Syria for the last two years. It has also conducted several terrorist attacks in Iraq.