1st LD: At least 9 killed in twin suicide bombings in Iraq's Anbar

At least nine security members were killed and over 15 wounded on Tuesday when two suicide bombers attacked a local government building in a town in Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said.

The attack occurred at noon when a suicide bomber blew up his explosive vest at the entrance of the government building in the town of Ameriyat al-Fallujah, some 40 km west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

More unknown gunmen opened fire immediately after the blast, paving the way for a second suicide bomber to enter the building and blew himself up, the source said.

Shakir Mahmoud al-Eisawi, the town's mayor of was among the wounded, the source added.

The toll could rise as many civilians fell by the blasts and the gunfire, but no immediate reports about the casualties, the source added.

Authorities in the town imposed a curfew as security forces and government-backed Sahwa paramilitary fighters cordoned off the scene and many others deployed in the town, the source said.

Previously, Ameriyat al-Fallujah was repeatedly attacked by Islamic State (IS) militants but their attacks were all repelled by security forces and allied militias.

The town is the last major government redoubt ahead of Baghdad, and is located some 60 km north of the Shiite holy city of Karbala, some 108 km south of Baghdad.

If the militants seize Ameriyat al-Fallujah they will be closer to the Iraqi capital and will also be able to move closer to Karbala and pound them with artillery and mortars.

The IS group has seized most of Iraq's largest province of Anbar and tried to advance toward Baghdad, but several counter attacks by security forces and Shiite militias have pushed them back.

The security situation in Iraq has drastically deteriorated since June 10 last year, when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and the IS. Endit