Baghdad, Feb 13 (IANS/EFE) At least seven members of the Iraqi security forces and eight fighters belonging to a pro-government Sunni militia died Friday in a suicide attack by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group near an important military base in western Iraq.
A security source indicated that IS extremists torched the police station and local administration headquarters in the town of al-Baghdadi in al-Anbar province, a short distance from the airbase where several hundred US advisors are stationed.
The Sunni militiamen who were killed in the clash belonged to the the National Council for the Awakening of Iraq, a pro-government Sunni militia, the source added.
Following the attack, aircraft of the US-led international coalition launched several air raids against the IS militants and killed at least 12 of them, while local forces and tribal fighters were mobilised to secure al-Baghdadi.
The source noted that Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi ordered additional forces to be sent to al-Baghdadi, in order to purge it of jihadis.
--IANS/EFE
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