Iraqi forces bust terror cell in Diyala

The Iraqi forces have foiled a terrorist bombing attack on a shrine in southern Baghdad and dismantled a Daesh terrorist cell in the country’s eastern province of Diyala.

“Military intelligence forces managed to seize a booby-trapped vehicle that was prepared to target the visitors of Imam Muhamed al-Jawad (PBUH) shrine in Dawra area in southern Baghdad,” Iraq’s Joint Operations Command spokesman Yahia Rasoolonsaid Wednesday.

He added that a separate force was able to seize a vehicle heading towards Baghdad and transporting a large amount of munitions and explosives in Diyala.

Several members of the Takfiri terrorist group were also arrested by military intelligence forces in the province.

Meanwhile, Iraqi jets targeted Daesh positions in Iraq’s Anbar province, killing dozens of the terrorists.

“Warplanes bombed Daesh sites in the areas of al-Hadala and al-Sikak north of Rutbah city, destroying the sites completely,” said a military source.

The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists mounted an offensive there more than two years ago. The militants have been committing vicious crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians.

The Iraqi army and volunteer fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units have been engaged in joint operations to retake militant-held regions.