UPDATE - 3 people killed in airstrike in area east of Iraqi capital: Local media

ADDS MORE INFO FROM ANADOLU CORRESPONDENT

By Anadolu staff

BAGHDAD (AA) – Three people were killed late Wednesday in an airstrike targeting a car in the Al Mashtal area east of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

The Baghdad Today news agency quoted an unnamed security source as saying that the airstrike targeted a jeep.

He noted that the identities of the victims could not immediately be determined due to “the charring of their bodies.”

The source added that the fire in the targeted vehicle was extinguished.

An Anadolu correspondent cited field sources as saying that the attack targeted a car belonging to Iraq's Hashd al-Sha'abi or Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) umbrella group, of which Kata'ib Hezbollah is a member, and Abu Baqir Al-Saadi, a senior commander of Kata'ib Hezbollah, was among the fatalities.

He added that security forces have taken extensive measures in the area.

No official statements have been issued by the Iraqi authorities regarding the identities of those killed.

A statement was later issued by the official Iraqi News Agency confirming fatalities in the attack and the launching of an investigation. However, it did not specify the number of the people killed or the source of the attack.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala