16 IS militants killed in clashes, air strikes in Iraq's Anbar

A total of 16 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Sunday in clashes and air strikes in Iraq's largest province of Anbar, a provincial security source said.

The security forces and allied Sunni paramilitary tribal units clashed with IS militants who tried to attack a military base at Jeraishi area in north of the provincial capital city of Ramadi, some 110 km west of Baghdad, leaving six IS militants killed, including two suicide bombers, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Separately, the army artillery shelled IS positions in Jubba area near the town of al-Baghdadi, some 190 km northwest of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing four IS operatives, the source said.

Meanwhile, a suicide car bomber tried to strike a position of the security forces in Khasfa area near the town of Haditha, some 200 km northwest of Baghdad, but a U.S.-led coalition warplane destroyed the car bomb and killed the suicide bomber before reaching the troops' defensive line, the source added.

Also in the province, an Iraqi aircraft bombarded a house said to be used by IS militants in Zuwiya area near the IS-held city of Fallujah, some 50 km west of Baghdad, killing five militants and wounding 12 others, the source said citing intelligence report.

Three days ago, the troops raised the Iraqi flag in the town of Heet, some 160 km west of Baghdad, after 14 days of fierce clashes with the extremist militants.

Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitary units have been battling IS militants for re-control of large territories in northern and western Iraq that have been seized by the IS since June 2014. Endit