11 people were killed in an attack by suspected jihadists in eastern Iraq

The governor of Diyala province blamed jihadists for the attack on Thursday night.

The attackers targeted a minibus carrying civilians from an election campaign meeting, an interior ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Muthana al-Tamimi, the governor of Diyala province near Baghdad, condemned what he called a cowardly operation by the jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) group.

On his Facebook page, he called on the security forces to increase their vigilance against “sleeping” extremist groups.

IS has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack in Diyala, where its cells still operate.

IS’s brutal “caliphate,” declared in 2014 after the group quickly seized large swaths of Iraq and neighboring Syria, collapsed after attacks in both countries.

Iraqi authorities declared victory over the Sunni extremist group in late 2017, but jihadist groups continue to carry out isolated attacks, particularly against the military and police in remote central and northern Iraq.

At least 11 people were killed and 17 others wounded in the attack in Diyala, in which an explosive device detonated in the village of al-Omraniya and then opened fire on a crowd, a second security source in Baghdad said.

According to a source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the minibus was targeted with two homemade bombs, and then snipers fired. This source said 12 civilians were killed and 13 others were injured.

The attack was carried out before the provincial council elections on December 18. Provincial councils will then elect governors.

Iraq is trying to end four decades of war and turmoil that included the ouster of dictator Saddam Hussein in a US-led invasion 20 years ago.

There are still about 2.5 thousand in Iraq. US troops participating in international efforts to prevent IS from re-emerging.

A United Nations report published in July said that IS in Iraq and Syria has from 5,000. up to 7 thousand members, mostly fighters.