(MENAFN- The Peninsula) ANBAR, Iraq: At least 10 Iraqi soldiers and pro-government fighters were killed Friday in a Islamic State attack near border with Syria, according to a local military officer.
IS militants mounted a deadly attack on border guards and Hashd al-Shaabi fighters north of Al-Waleed border crossing in western Iraq, the officer said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.
He said around 40 border guards and fighters were injured in ensuing clashes with the attackers.
According to the officer, IS militants retreated from the area after sustaining casualties in the hours-long clashes.
Iraqi forces have been battling to dislodge IS from Iraq, where the terrorist group has maintained a foothold since 2014.
In recent months, IS has lost much of the territory it captured in northern and western Iraq as a result of military operations by the Iraqi army and a U.S.-led coalition.
MENAFN0107201700630000ID1095590371
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.