1st LD-Writethru: 13 killed in gunmen attack at cafe in Iraq's northern town

Three gunmen attacked a popular cafe in Iraq's northern town of Balad overnight, killing 13 people and wounding 25 others, a security source told Xinhua on Friday.

The gunmen in a civilian car attacked a popular cafe in Balad town after midnight, killing 13 and wounding 25 others, the source said on condition of anonymity,

"A suicide bomber blew himself up in front of the cafe, killing four security members, and the other terrorists opened fire at civilians," he said.

Security forces were searching the attackers who fled the scene in the morning.

The fresh attack followed a series of car bombing attacks in Baghdad this week that has killed at least 96 and wounded 171.

The Islamic State claimed that its suicide bombers detonated three car bombs in crowded Shiite areas in Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 93 people and wounding 161 others. And one day later, IS attacked a police station in western Baghdad, killed three and wounded 10.

The Iraqi army and allied paramilitary units have been battling IS militants to recapture territories in northern and western Iraq that was seized by the IS since June 2014.

IS frequently carried out attacks against civilians and military across the country in retaliation.

A report by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq estimated that 741 Iraqis were killed and 1,374 others wounded in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflicts in April across Iraq.

And approximately 80,000 people have been newly displaced by escalating armed conflicts in the country since the beginning of March. Endit