14 killed in clashes with IS in Iraq

A total of 14 people were killed and 27 others wounded on Thursday in clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants, while two senior officials of the provincial council was injured by the IS mortar barrage in the country's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said.

Falih al-Essawi, deputy head of Anbar's provincial council, and Adhal al-Dulaimi, head of the council's security committee, were wounded in the afternoon when IS militants fired mortar rounds on their convoy during their tour on positions of security forces in Hemeira area in south of the IS-held provincial capital city of Ramadi, some 110 km west of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Separately, a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden truck into the positions of the security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi paramilitary militias in Albu Souda area near the militant-seized town of Garma, some 40 km west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source said.

The suicide bomber blew up his truck at the defensive line of the troops, the source said, adding that the huge blast was immediately followed by the attacks of dozens of IS militants sparking heavy fighting with the troops.

"So far, the huge blast and the fighting resulted in the killing of at least nine security members and militiamen, while some 14 others wounded," the source said without giving further details as the battle was still underway.

Also in the province, U.S.-led coalition warplanes carried out an air strike on IS positions in Albu Assaf area, just north of Ramadi, killing five militants and wounding 11 others, the source said.

Iraqi security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi paramilitary militias have been fighting for months to retake control of key cities and towns in Iraq's largest province from IS militants, which seized most of Anbar and tried to advance toward Baghdad. Endit