Iraqi forces foil multiple suicide attacks at gas plant

Iraqi security forces on Sunday foiled multiple suicide bomb attacks targeting a gas plant in the suburb of Baghdad, an interior ministry source said.

The attacks occurred when two suicide bombers rammed their explosives-laden vehicles into the gas plant gate and blew them up at Taji area, paving the way for six suicide bombers to enter the facility and set fire to two gas reservoirs, Xinhua cited the source as saying.

The huge fires caused by the explosion extended to several nearby buildings, the source said.

The security forces guarding the facility engaged in fierce clashes with the attackers and managed to kill them all, the source said, adding that at least three employees were also killed and 13 injured.

Fire engines and civil defence teams immediately rushed to the scene and started to put out the flames, the source added.

Iraq has been currently witnessing a wave of violence since the Islamic State (IS) group took control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions in June 2014.

Earlier, a report by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) estimated that 741 Iraqis were killed and 1,374 were wounded in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflicts across Iraq in April.

--IANS

py/vt