According to Iraqi security officials, gunmen from the Islamic State extremist group assaulted northeast of Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and wounded six more. The attack took place in Al-Rashad, a mostly Shiite area northeast of Baqouba in Diyala province, according to officials. The details of the attack were not immediately clear, but two officials who spoke to The Associated Press claimed militants from the Islamic State group kidnapped two locals earlier and then invaded the town after their demands for ransom were not met.

They stated that machine guns were used in the attack, commenting on the condition of anonymity due to laws. They said that all of the people killed or injured were civilians. Since the Islamic State was mostly destroyed in Iraq in 2017, attacks against civilians have become rare, however the group remains active in many regions through sleeper cells. Sunni Muslim extremists continue to carry out attacks, frequently targeting security forces, power plants, and other infrastructure.

In July, a roadside bomb strike in a Baghdad suburb killed at least 30 people and injured scores more at a busy market. Twin suicide bombers blasted through a crowded market in Iraq’s capital in January, killing at least 32 people and injuring dozens more. IS was blamed by Iraqi officials for the attacks.

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