The incident occurred at night when terrorists attacked a civilian car on the outskirts of a village near the city of Khalis, about 70 kilometers northeast of Baghdad, according to Udai al-Khadran, the city’s mayor.
Later, militants opened fire on villagers who had gathered near the car, according to al-Khadran.
Iraqi security forces rushed to the scene and searched for the attackers, a provincial security official told Xinhua.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, commander-in-chief of Iraqi forces, sent a high-ranking delegation from Diyala Operations Command to investigate the attacks, he said on condition of anonymity.
In months, Iraqi security forces have carried out operations against terrorists to suppress their intensified activities.
Security in Iraq has taken a step forward since the defeat of Daesh in 2017.
However, its remains have since become urban centers, deserts and rugged areas, wearing down common guerrilla attacks opposed to security forces and civilians.