Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled al-Obaidi escaped unharmed as a sniper fired on his convoy on Monday near a town where security forces have been battling jihadists, the ministry said.
The attack, which took place in the Tal Abu <g data-gr-id="16">Jrad</g> area near Baiji wounded one of Obaidi’s guards, the defence ministry said in a statement. A defence ministry official told AFP that Obaidi himself was unharmed. The minister was touring the area to oversee military operations in Baiji, which was seized by the Islamic State jihadist group last year, retaken by the government but then lost to the jihadists again.
It was not immediately clear if the attack was actually aimed at <g data-gr-id="14">Obaidi,</g> or just a militant firing on a target of opportunity.