Security forces thwart attempt to blow up Diyala electricity tower

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Security forces thwarted an attempt to blow up an electricity tower in Diyala, Iraq’s Security Media Cell said late on Monday.

"A TNT stick was placed on one of the power transmission towers and it was dealt with by engineering efforts,” it tweeted.  

Attacks on electricity towers have become common in recent weeks, especially in the disputed territories where ISIS has exploited a security vacuum.

At least 44 electricity pylons have been targets of terrorist attacks over the past few days, the spokesperson for Iraq’s Joint Operation Command told state media on Sunday, adding that most of them have been repaired.

Salahaddin’s Operation Command announced the formation of a joint crisis cell to shield electricity pylons in the area against potential ISIS attacks, its head told state media on Monday. 

One terrorist was killed by security forces in Diyala province as he was trying to blow up electricity pylons on Wednesday.

In a statement released on Monday, the Ministry of Electricity said that the transmission lines that supply power to Baghdad's al-Karkh water project were targeted, indicating that ISIS attempted to cut off water supplies to nearby populations.