Iraqi security forces Wednesday repelled an attack by Islamic State (IS) militants, including a suicide bombing in the oil refinery town of Baiji in the Salahudin province, killing at least 12 IS militants and 12 security members, a provincial security source said.

 

The attack occurred in the early morning hours as a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden truck into the posts of the troops and allied paramilitary militias, known as Hashd Shaabi, or popular mobilization, in the central part of the town of Baiji, 200 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source informed Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

 

The powerful bomb blast was followed by the advance of dozens of IS militants towards the troops' posts, sparking heavy clashes lasting for hours, the source said.

 

"At least 11 soldiers and militiamen were killed and 10 others injured, while 12 IS militants died," the source said, citing initial reports from the battlefield.

 

In addition, a Shiite leader from the Hashd Shaabi, Hadhir al-Qaisi, was killed and three of his bodyguards were wounded when they entered a booby-trapped house which exploded during a search operation, the source added.

 

The battle in Baiji comes about two weeks after security forces and allied militias, covered by Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition aircraft, cleared most of the town following days of heavy clashes with extremist militants.

 

Sporadic clashes persist in Iraq's largest oil refinery nearby as security forces fight to drive IS militants out of the refinery, which militants have seized large sections of.

 

Since March 2, security forces and thousands of allied Shiite and Sunni militias have been involved in Iraq's biggest offensive in order to recapture the northern part of Iraq's central province of Salahudin from IS militants.

(Xinhua)