19 IS militants killed in Iraq clashes

Nineteen Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in clashes in Iraq, security sources said on Saturday.

In Anbar province, security forces and allied paramilitary Sunni tribal units foiled an IS attack when nine militants wearing explosive vests tried to infiltrate into the town of Ameriyat al-Fallujah, some 40 km west of Baghdad, Xinhua news agency reported.

The nine attackers were killed by the security personnel.

Five more IS suicide bombers were killed in clashes when they attacked military checkpoints along the main road between Ameriyat al-Fallujah and the adjacent province of Babil.

In Salahudin province, two IS vehicles were destroyed on Friday night when they approached the defensive lines of the security forces near Allas oilfield to the east of the provincial capital city of Tikrit, leaving at least two militants dead.

Earlier Saturday, IS militants were forced to withdraw to their hideouts in the nearby Makhoul mountain, leaving at least three militants dead, a source said, adding that a policeman was also killed.

--IANS

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