Baghdad - Unknown gunmen targeted a civilian car in Iraq's eastern Diyala province, resulting in the death of up to 11 individuals and injuring nine others, as reported by a security official.

The assailants employed a roadside bomb and unleashed heavy gunfire on the vehicle in a village near Wajihiya, situated approximately 90 km northeast of Baghdad, according to Alaa al-Saadi of the Diyala provincial command.

The dual attacks resulted in the tragic loss of 11 lives, with five individuals in critical condition among the wounded. Diyala, characterized by its ethnically diverse population, has witnessed periodic unrest and violence among its Kurdish, Sunni, and Shia communities since 2003.

The province has also faced challenges from remnants of the Islamic State (IS) operating in rugged areas in the eastern part of Diyala and the Himreen mountainous region north of the province, engaging in sporadic attacks against civilians and Iraqi forces.