Three dead in Iraq restaurant attack claimed by IS

SAMARRA, Iraq: Two suicide bombers killed at least three people and wounded 34 Tuesday in an Iraqi restaurant frequented by militiamen battling the Islamic State group, security sources said, in an attack claimed by IS.
In a statement late Tuesday, IS claimed responsibility for the attack in the northern town of Hajaj, in Salaheddin province between the cities of Tikrit and Baiji.
The jihadist group gave a higher toll of 30 federal police killed and 45 wounded.
Interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan said earlier that "two attackers detonated their explosive belts in a restaurant in Hajaj, killing three people and wounding 34."
"A third assailant was shot dead by the security forces," Maan said in a statement.
IS said one of the two attackers was killed in enemy fire, while the other detonated his explosives belt.
A police lieutenant colonel said the restaurant was frequented by members of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation), a paramilitary force mainly composed of Iran-trained militias which has played a major role in the fight against IS.
The twin bombings came just five days after a gun and bomb attack on a restaurant and nearby checkpoint in the southern city of Nasiriyah killed 84 people.
That was the deadliest attack claimed by the jihadists since their defeat in second city Mosul in July. — AFP