At least 10 people were killed and 12 injured on Monday in a suicide vehicle bomb attack in Iraq’s Diyala province, officials said.
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There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State jihadist group carries out frequent suicide bombings in Iraq. Since late last year, the group has suffered a string of territorial losses, most recently in Fallujah, where it was driven out last month by Iraqi forces after occupying the city for more than two years.
A bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a security checkpoint at the northern entrance of al-Khalis town, lieutenant Mahmoud al-Dalwi said.
Eight policemen and six civilians were killed and up to 41 people were wounded, the officers said, adding that the explosion also damaged almost 20 cars lined up at the checkpoint.
The head of the Provincial Council, Omar Maan al-Korawi, said a auto rigged with explosives was detonated near the entrance to the Department of Agriculture in the town.
A medical official confirmed the casualty figures.
The blast comes a day after so-called Islamic State (IS) said it was behind a suicide bomb attack on a security checkpoint in Baghdad.
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The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists launched a campaign of terror in the country in June 2014.
