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Iraqi forces foil multiple IS suicide car bombs in Baiji

Xinhua, August 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

Iraqi security forces on Wednesday foiled 10 suicide car bomb attacks by Islamic State (IS) militants in the town of Baiji in Salahudin province, while the troops launched an offensive to hunt down IS militants near the city of Samarra, a provincial security source said.

The attacks occurred in early hours of the day when dozens of IS militants launched 10 suicide car bombs and followed by heavy clashes with the troops and allied militias known as Hashd Shaabi, in the oil refinery town of Baiji, some 200 km north of Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The troops detonated nine of the booby trapped cars by anti-tank guided missiles before reaching the first defensive line, but one of the suicide car bombs managed to cross the line and blew up, leaving at least two security members killed and eight others wounded, the source said.

Separately, a booby-trapped car detonated near security forces on late Tuesday night in Ta'mim district in western Baiji, leaving nine security members killed and nine others wounded, the source added.

More than a month ago, the security forces and allied militias, backed by Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition aircraft, have been fighting fierce clashes in Baiji with the extremist militants, but the two sides have involved in fierce tug-of-war battles inside and near the town.

The battles in Baiji came as heavy clashes continue near Iraq's largest oil refinery as the security forces are fighting to drive out IS militants from Baiji refinery, which the militants are seizing large parts of it.

Also in the province, the security forces and Hashd Shaabi units backed by Iraqi aircraft launched an offensive on late Tuesday to clear the vast desert area in west of the city of Samarra, some 120 km north of Baghdad, from the IS militants, the source said.

The offensive continued on Wednesday as sporadic clashes frequently occurred with the IS militants in the area, the source said without giving further details.

The security situation in Iraq has drastically deteriorated since June 10 in 2014, when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and the IS. Endit