16 killed in clashes with IS militants in Iraq's Salahudin province

A total of 16 were killed on Wednesday in separate clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's northern central province of Salahudin, a provincial security source told Xinhua.

In one attack, four suicide bombers drove their explosive-laden cars to attack the positions of the security forces and allied paramilitary militias, known as Hashd Shaabi, in the open land of Abbasiyah, just northwest of Samarra, a city located some 120 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Two of the suicide car bombs stuck in the mud before they reach their targets and were defused later by explosive experts.

A third car bomb detonated apparently prematurely by the heavy fire of the troops, while the fourth car bomb ripped through the military position, leaving at least 10 security members and allied militiamen killed, the source said.

Meanwhile, dozens of IS militants attacked Hawi area, just west of Samarra, coming from the desert land in west of the city and destroyed four military vehicles before they resort to a residential building, the source said, adding that the troops are surrounding the building and imposed curfew in the area while helicopters were flying overhead.

Separately, fierce clashes erupted in the morning between Hashd Shaabi units and IS militants in Fat'ha area, some 40 km north the provincial capital city of Tikrit, which itself located some 170 km north of Baghdad, leaving five IS militants killed while a member of Hashd Shaabi was also killed and six others wounded, the source added.

The attacks in Salahudin province came as the security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi militias have been pushing on toward IS stronghold in the city of Shirqat, some 280 km north of Baghdad, and the town of Hawijah, some 90 km west of the northern city of Kirkuk, to free them from the extremist militants as part of the second phase of major offensive, aimed at freeing towns seized by the IS group since June 2014 in the northern part of Salahudin province.

Earlier, the troops retook control of Iraq's largest oil refinery near Baiji and the town of Seiniyah, some 10 km west of Baiji.

Iraq has been witnessing some of the worst violence in years. Terrorism and violence have left at least 12,282 civilians killed and 23,126 others injured in 2014, making it the deadliest year since the sectarian violence in the 2006-2007 period, according to a recent UN report. Endit