By Ibrahim Saleh and Hussein Amir
BAGHDAD (AA) - At least three civilians were killed Friday in two separate bombings in Iraq’s Baghdad and Diyala provinces, according to local security sources.
"A roadside bomb went off in the Al-Taji industrial area north of the capital," Baghdad police officer Hatem al-Jabri told Anadolu Agency.
The explosion had killed two civilians and injured three others, al-Jabri said, going on to point out that security forces had since cordoned off the area.
In Diyala province, meanwhile, an explosive device went off near the Sherwin area -- some 45 kilometers east of Baquba -- killing one civilian resident, Police Captain Habib al-Shammari told Anadolu Agency.
No group has claimed responsibility for either of the bombings, but Iraqi security officials typically blame Daesh “sleeper cells” for such attacks.
In mid-2014, the notorious terrorist group overran roughly one third of Iraq. Over the course of the last year, however, the Iraqi military -- backed by a U.S.-led coalition -- has managed to recover almost all lost territory.
Early last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared that the country had been “entirely purged” of Daesh militants.