Iraqi forces retake town from IS

Iraqi security forces Thursday retook control of a town from Islamic State (IS) militant group in eastern Iraq, and are fighting to seize another in the west, security sources said.

In Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, Iraqi security forces backed by Shiite militias and Kurdish security forces, known as Peshmerga, managed to retake control of Saadiyah town, some 120 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, after two days of fierce battles, a provincial security source told Xinhua.

The pro-government troops entered the town from two directions, killing at least seven IS militants and destroying five of their vehicles, the source said.

In Anbar province, Iraqi security forces backed by allied militiamen and aircraft carried out offensive against IS militants to free the Heet town, an official said.

The troops freed al-Dolab and several areas near the town of Heet, which have been under the control of the IS militants since late last month.

They are fighting on the outskirts of Heet, some 160 km west of Baghdad, the official said, without giving further details about casualties.