At Least 29 Iraqi Security Forces Killed by IS in Al-Anbar

BAGHDAD – At least 29 members of the Iraqi security forces were killed in a series of attacks by Islamic State militants in the western Iraqi province of al-Anbar, security officials told Efe.

“The Iraqi military forces and Shiite militias (the Popular Mobilization Forces) clashed with Islamic State jihadists who attacked security headquarters located between the cities of Fallujah and Samarra,” a security official in al-Anbar told Efe.

“These clashes left at least 17 members of the Iraqi army and Shiite militias dead and eight others wounded, in addition to the death and injury of tens of the IS jihadists,” the official noted.

“Two suicide bombers attacked a military headquarters with two car bombs east of Fallujah. The first bomber blew up a car bomb, claiming the lives of two soldiers and wounding six others, while the Iraqi army successfully defused the second car bomb by destroying it remotely with Russian-made missiles,” the functionary added.

In addition, the security official said four soldiers were killed and nine others were wounded when IS militants bombed a military camp east of Fallujah.

“Six tribal fighters were killed and four others were wounded in an attack on one of their camps by IS extremists in Brunat area (150 kilometers/about 93 miles west of Ramadi),” the official also recounted.

Iraq has been the epicenter of a fierce war with the jihadist organization since last June, when IS proclaimed a caliphate in the areas it controls in Iraq and neighboring Syria.