39 killed in airstrikes, clashes with IS militants in Iraq's Anbar

A total of 39 people were killed on Sunday in U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said.

The international aircraft carried out airstrikes on three IS positions in Albu Haiyat area in east of the town of Haditha, some 200 km northwest of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing 18 IS militants and destroying seven of their vehicles, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

In a separate incident, a suicide truck bomber detonated his explosive-laden vehicle at a position of security forces near Palestine bridge in north of the IS-held provincial capital city of Ramadi, some 110 km west of Baghdad, killing eight security members and wounding 15 others, the source said.

Immediately after the first suicide attack, the troops opened fire at another truck bomb and blew it up with anti-tank guided missiles before reaching its position, the source said.

Also in the province, a fierce clash erupted between security forces and IS militants at a village near the militant-seized town of Garma, some 40 km west of Baghdad, leaving seven security members and six IS militants killed, the source added.

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